The Government has launched the construction of the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) House in Entebbe, a landmark project expected to strengthen the country’s statistical capacity, enhance evidence-based policymaking, and position Uganda as a regional hub for official statistics.
Presiding over the foundation-laying ceremony, Finance Minister Henry Musasizi described the new office block as a strategic national investment that will modernize Uganda’s statistical infrastructure and improve the production, management and use of official data for development planning.
Musasizi said the facility reflects the government’s commitment to building a stronger national statistical system capable of meeting growing domestic and international data demands.
“The UBOS House will provide a modern environment for research, innovation, skills development and advanced data management. It is an investment that will strengthen evidence-based decision-making across government and support Uganda’s socio-economic transformation agenda,” he said.
The facility will feature a state-of-the-art Data Centre, innovation laboratories, data science hubs, training facilities, and office space for coordinating national censuses and surveys.
The Finance Minister called on ROKO Construction Co. Ltd and all project stakeholders to ensure timely completion of the works while maintaining high construction standards and delivering value for public resources.
He also reaffirmed Uganda’s ambition to host the East African Statistics Bureau at the new facility, saying the move would deepen regional cooperation in statistics and strengthen harmonized data systems across the East African Community.
UBOS Board Chairman Dr. Albert Byamugisha described the groundbreaking as a significant milestone in Uganda’s statistical development journey.
He thanked the Government for prioritizing investment in the country’s statistical infrastructure and expressed confidence that ROKO Construction would deliver a modern, high-quality facility within the agreed timeframe.
UBOS Executive Director and Chief Statistician Dr. Chris Mukiza said the project represents a transformative step in expanding Uganda’s capacity to generate reliable, timely and internationally comparable statistics.
According to Mukiza, the new complex will accommodate the proposed East African Statistics Bureau, a modern Data Centre, Data Science and Innovation Hubs, training centres, and operational offices supporting national surveys and population censuses.
Beyond improving statistical operations, he said the project will create employment opportunities, build technical expertise, foster innovation and strengthen evidence-based governance across both the public and private sectors.
“The facility is designed to become a centre of excellence in official statistics, supporting research, innovation and regional collaboration while improving the quality and accessibility of data for national development,” Mukiza said.
ROKO Construction Chairman Mark Koehler thanked the Government and UBOS for entrusting the company with the project, pledging to deliver the facility safely, on schedule and in accordance with the highest quality standards.
He said ROKO would work closely with all stakeholders to ensure the successful delivery of infrastructure that meets the country’s long-term development needs.
Strategic significance
The construction of the UBOS House comes at a time when governments are increasingly relying on quality data to guide public investment, monitor economic performance and measure progress towards national and global development goals.
The planned facility is expected to strengthen Uganda’s ability to produce high-quality official statistics while supporting digital transformation in data management through modern computing infrastructure and innovation-driven research.
If Uganda succeeds in hosting the East African Statistics Bureau, the development would further elevate the country’s role in regional integration by serving as a centre for statistical coordination, harmonization and capacity building across the East African Community, reinforcing the importance of reliable data in driving sustainable economic growth and informed policymaking.
Uganda Breaks Ground on UBOS House to Strengthen Data-Driven Development and Regional Statistics Leadership
The Government has launched the construction of the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) House in Entebbe, a landmark project expected to strengthen the country’s statistical capacity, enhance evidence-based policymaking, and position Uganda as a regional hub for official statistics.
Presiding over the foundation-laying ceremony, Finance Minister Henry Musasizi described the new office block as a strategic national investment that will modernize Uganda’s statistical infrastructure and improve the production, management and use of official data for development planning.
Musasizi said the facility reflects the government’s commitment to building a stronger national statistical system capable of meeting growing domestic and international data demands.
“The UBOS House will provide a modern environment for research, innovation, skills development and advanced data management. It is an investment that will strengthen evidence-based decision-making across government and support Uganda’s socio-economic transformation agenda,” he said.
The facility will feature a state-of-the-art Data Centre, innovation laboratories, data science hubs, training facilities, and office space for coordinating national censuses and surveys.
The Finance Minister called on ROKO Construction Co. Ltd and all project stakeholders to ensure timely completion of the works while maintaining high construction standards and delivering value for public resources.
He also reaffirmed Uganda’s ambition to host the East African Statistics Bureau at the new facility, saying the move would deepen regional cooperation in statistics and strengthen harmonized data systems across the East African Community.
UBOS Board Chairman Dr. Albert Byamugisha described the groundbreaking as a significant milestone in Uganda’s statistical development journey.
He thanked the Government for prioritizing investment in the country’s statistical infrastructure and expressed confidence that ROKO Construction would deliver a modern, high-quality facility within the agreed timeframe.
UBOS Executive Director and Chief Statistician Dr. Chris Mukiza said the project represents a transformative step in expanding Uganda’s capacity to generate reliable, timely and internationally comparable statistics.
According to Mukiza, the new complex will accommodate the proposed East African Statistics Bureau, a modern Data Centre, Data Science and Innovation Hubs, training centres, and operational offices supporting national surveys and population censuses.
Beyond improving statistical operations, he said the project will create employment opportunities, build technical expertise, foster innovation and strengthen evidence-based governance across both the public and private sectors.
“The facility is designed to become a centre of excellence in official statistics, supporting research, innovation and regional collaboration while improving the quality and accessibility of data for national development,” Mukiza said.
ROKO Construction Chairman Mark Koehler thanked the Government and UBOS for entrusting the company with the project, pledging to deliver the facility safely, on schedule and in accordance with the highest quality standards.
He said ROKO would work closely with all stakeholders to ensure the successful delivery of infrastructure that meets the country’s long-term development needs.
Strategic significance
The construction of the UBOS House comes at a time when governments are increasingly relying on quality data to guide public investment, monitor economic performance and measure progress towards national and global development goals.
The planned facility is expected to strengthen Uganda’s ability to produce high-quality official statistics while supporting digital transformation in data management through modern computing infrastructure and innovation-driven research.
If Uganda succeeds in hosting the East African Statistics Bureau, the development would further elevate the country’s role in regional integration by serving as a centre for statistical coordination, harmonization and capacity building across the East African Community, reinforcing the importance of reliable data in driving sustainable economic growth and informed policymaking.
