LIRA CITY — Construction of the Akii-Bua Olympic Stadium in Lira City is ahead of schedule, with the Government targeting completion before the contractual handover deadline of January 2, 2027, State Minister for Sports Peter Ogwang has said.
Speaking during an inspection of the facility and the university training pitch on Monday, September 14, 2026, Ogwang said contractor SAMCO National Construction Company had made significant progress despite minor delays at the training ground.
“The contract we signed is that the stadium could be handed over on 2nd of January, but like you must have seen today during our inspection, the contractor is ahead of schedule,” Ogwang said.
According to the latest inspection, overall construction progress stands at about 75 percent, with the project now entering the finishing stages.
Ogwang said the project had been segmented into two major components.
“There is a component of the sporting, which is football, and there is a component of other indoor games,” he explained.
The 20,000-seater sports complex includes a main stadium with an athletics track, a 2,000-seater indoor multi-sport arena, a 25-metre semi-Olympic swimming pool, a fully furnished clubhouse, a 60-room hostel, tennis courts, basketball, netball and volleyball courts, as well as five training pitches.
“The arena is on course, the swimming pool is on course, the clubhouse is on course, the hostel and the guest wing is on course, the tennis courts are on course,” Ogwang noted.
He acknowledged that the university training pitch was slightly behind schedule but said the Government was working closely with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to ensure all facilities meet the required standards.
“I want to confirm we are working closely with CAF. The Confederation of African Football has visited even this training pitch and the main stadium. We are working towards ensuring that these facilities are ready for AFCON 2027,” he said.
Uganda will co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations with Kenya and Tanzania, with Akii-Bua designated as a backup training and hosting venue.
Asked whether the poor state of access roads could affect the facility’s readiness for AFCON, Ogwang said the matter was outside his docket, although he acknowledged concerns raised by leaders from the Lango sub-region.
Ogwang also urged private investors to invest in four and five-star hotels to help the region meet CAF accommodation requirements.
National Council of Sports General Secretary Bernard Ogwel said all funds required to facilitate construction works on the training facilities had been released.
Ogwel commended the Government for its continued efforts to develop and promote sports infrastructure across the country.
Ogwang was accompanied during the inspection by fellow Cabinet Minister Sam Engola, Minister for Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, the Lira City Resident City Commissioner, the district LC5 chairperson and other local leaders.