Mining
Legal Advisory

Specialist legal counsel for Uganda's mining sector

Uganda hosts significant mineral wealth — including gold, iron ore, limestone, phosphates, and rare earth elements — and the sector is subject to an evolving regulatory framework that demands careful legal navigation. Magumba & Co. Advocates advises mining companies, exploration investors, project financiers, and government bodies on all legal aspects of mineral operations in Uganda.

Our team combines expertise in mining law, environmental compliance, project finance, and dispute resolution to provide integrated counsel that supports our clients from the exploration stage through to production, offtake, and project exit — ensuring their operations remain legally sound and commercially viable at every phase.

With the new Mining and Minerals Act of Uganda 2022, it brings new opportunities for investment in the mining sector. Our team is dedicated to providing the best advisory services to clients on mineral beneficiation and mineral exploration.

Mining Licencing & Regulatory Compliance

We advise exploration companies, mining operators, and investors on the full lifecycle of mining licences in Uganda — from initial applications and renewals to transfers and cancellations — ensuring full compliance with the Mining Act and the regulations of the Directorate of Geological Survey and Mines.

Mining Agreements & Joint Ventures

We draft and negotiate mining investment agreements, joint venture agreements, off-take agreements, and production-sharing arrangements — protecting our clients' commercial interests while navigating Uganda's legal and regulatory framework for mineral development.

Environmental & Social Compliance

Mining projects carry significant environmental and social obligations. We advise on environmental permitting under the National Environment Act, Environmental and Social Impact Assessments, resettlement and livelihood restoration frameworks, and ongoing NEMA compliance throughout the life of mine.

Community & Land Access Advisory

We advise on community engagement obligations, land access rights, compensation frameworks, and benefit-sharing arrangements — helping mining clients build the social licence to operate and manage the legal aspects of community relations in affected areas.

Mining Finance & Project Development

We support the financing of mining projects by advising on project finance structures, security arrangements over mining assets, lender due diligence, and the legal requirements of development finance institutions active in Uganda's extractive sector.

Mining Dispute Resolution

We represent mining clients in licence disputes, regulatory enforcement proceedings, investor-state disputes, and commercial arbitration — drawing on our ADR expertise to achieve cost-effective resolutions while protecting our clients' operational continuity.

Minerals & industries we serve

Our mining advisory practice covers the breadth of Uganda's mineral wealth — from large-scale industrial operations to artisanal and small-scale mining, and the investors and financiers who support them.

Regulatory Due Diligence

We begin every mining mandate by reviewing the client's existing licences, permits, and compliance obligations — identifying gaps, upcoming renewal deadlines, and areas of regulatory risk that need to be addressed before project development proceeds.

Licencing & Approvals

We manage the legal process of obtaining, renewing, or transferring mining licences and environmental permits — coordinating with the Directorate of Geological Survey and Mines, NEMA, and other relevant authorities to secure timely approvals.

Commercial Structuring

We advise on the optimal legal structure for mining investments, whether joint ventures, production sharing, or wholly owned operations — drafting and negotiating the underlying agreements to protect our clients' commercial interests and allocate risk appropriately.

Ongoing Compliance & Dispute Support

Through the life of a mining project, we provide continuous compliance advisory, represent clients in regulatory proceedings, and resolve commercial and investor-state disputes — ensuring sustained legal protection from exploration through to project closure.