MBusiness man Benard Feni has added another accolade to his growing cabinet, scooping Entrepreneur of the Year while his company Euro Gold Refinery Ltd won the Platinum Winner for Best Natural Resources and Extractives 2026.
The double victory at the Business Excellence Awards organised by Consumer Publications Uganda Ltd caps a year of recognition for the founder of Uganda’s first fully locally-owned gold refinery.
Feni attributed the win to transparency, job creation and business excellence, not personal glory.
“We believe in validation, we believe in job creation, and we believe in transparency, and it is because of this that we are able to receive this award,” Feni said. “This award is for all the youth of Uganda that believe in themselves.”
The awards are based on consumer-driven research, assessing quality, service value, integrity and innovation, not just popularity.
The East African Brand Quality Awards, were presided over by *lVice President Jessica Alupo at Hotel Africana.
Feni was named among the standout winners at the ceremony on Friday night, where Euro Gold Refinery Ltd was declared Platinum Winner Best Natural Resources and Extractives, while his non-profit Mungu Feni Foundation was named Best Community Transformation Organisation in East Africa.
Alupo, in a speech delivered on her behalf by Andrew Matovu, Director of PIBID, challenged businesses in Uganda and across the East African region to uphold quality, integrity and consistency, saying companies recognised for excellence should set higher standards for others.
She congratulated the organisers and recipients, urging winners to regard recognition not as an endpoint but as a responsibility to maintain standards and mentor other businesses.
Feni commended government, particularly the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, for initiatives opening up the sector. He cited Euro Gold’s indigenous ownership and consistent performance as factors distinguishing the company, Uganda’s first fully locally-owned refinery refining to 99.9% purity (24-carat)with Italian eco-friendly technology and over 70% Ugandan workforce.
However, Feni flagged two persistent challenges for indigenous miners: limited access to financing and lengthy licensing procedures.
“Many Ugandan miners are compelled to seek foreign investors because local financial institutions often provide insufficient support,” he said. “Uganda is naturally blessed and has all the minerals… Greater involvement by Ugandan banks would enable local entrepreneurs to expand while retaining a larger share.”
He warned that inadequate domestic financing leaves Ugandans giving away 70% shareholding to foreign investors.
The awards add to Feni’s growing list of recognitions, including Best Innovative and Extraordinary Entrepreneur 2026 by UNIGWA, and multiple accolades for his Foundation at the West Nile Quality Brand Awards 2025, Quality Excellence Award – Platinum, Best Community Development NGO and Best Local NGO, for youth empowerment and humanitarian work.
