After four years of abandonment, dust and uncertainty, traders in Nebbi Municipality are looking forward to the revival of a stalled taxi and bus terminal project expected to transform transport, business activity and urban mobility in the town.
The terminal, located along Arua Road in Thatha Division, Oryang Cell, Nebbi Municipality, is set to be revived under the World Bank-funded Uganda Cities and Municipalities Infrastructure Development (UCMID) programme.
The project stalled after its implementation was disrupted by financial challenges that emerged following the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving the municipality’s development plans affected for years.
The Nebbi taxi and bus terminal project was initially launched in 2021 under a Public Private Partnership arrangement, where private developers were expected to operate lockups at the facility for 15 years. However, rising construction costs and other challenges forced the project to halt.
Eng. Lawrence Walulga from the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development said the terminal will be constructed on three acres of titled municipal land along Arua Road, with an estimated cost of Shs9.5 billion.
He said construction, which will include roads, drainage systems, street lighting and other infrastructure, will be implemented in phases depending on the performance of the initial works and is expected to start on July 23, 2026.
Walulga said the terminal has been designed around transport mobility, drainage management, environmental protection, soil conservation, waste management and greening.
The completed facility will have capacity to accommodate up to 13 buses and 37 taxis, with passenger waiting areas and commercial spaces. Nebbi Municipality Mayor Jackline Opar said the municipality is among the urban areas selected to benefit from the UCMID programme, with the taxi and bus terminal among priority projects planned for implementation between 2026 and 2031.
She said the project is aimed at improving urban mobility, easing congestion, and creating safer and more convenient spaces for passengers and transport operators. “We need to embrace this hybrid project to lift the standard of our town because development always comes with challenges. It looks challenging at the beginning, but after completion, people will be employed and businesses will grow,” Opar said.
Nebbi Municipal Town Clerk Samson Nmsambwa said the completed terminal is expected to increase municipal revenue through more organised transport operations, passenger movement and commercial activities.
He added that more lockups and business spaces will be created, while encouraging developers whose structures are not affected by the project to complete their buildings to benefit from increased business opportunities.
For taxi operators, Dominic Ochaya said the project will help address challenges associated with disorganised loading points, congestion and poor passenger flow.
“The UCMID project is a big win because proper terminals will reduce chaos on streets, improve passenger flow and create lockups and business spaces that attract more people,” Ochaya said.
Linus Okecha, President of the Nebbi Municipality Development Forum, urged government to fast-track implementation of the project, saying residents are eager to see the economic opportunities it will create.
Okecha said the terminal is expected to create more business spaces in a town facing a shortage of rental facilities, improving livelihoods and boosting local economic activity-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
