15th AREA Conference · Cities Series 2026
AREA Real Estate Awards 2026
Celebrating excellence, integrity and innovation in Uganda's property sector — from Kampala to Jinja, Gulu to Mbarara.
34 awards. 9 categories. Do you set the standard?
Submissions open
1 October 2026
Portal, email or hand delivery
Submissions close
20 October 2026
Late entries not accepted
Shortlist announced
30 October 2026
Verified entries only
Judges' interviews & site visits
2–20 November 2026
Shortlisted entries
Awards ceremony
3–4 December 2026
Jinja Investment Deal Room
The 34 awards
Open to members and non-members alike, except Awards 33 and 34. Awards 30–32 are by nomination.
A · 5 awards
Buildings & Projects
Built in Uganda, for Uganda
- 1Best Affordable Housing Project
- 2Best Hotel, Lodge & Tourism Project
- 3Best Commercial Building
- 4Best Warehouse & Industrial Project
- 5Best Green Building
B · 3 awards
Developers & Investment-Ready Projects
Builders and backers
- 6Developer of the Year
- 7Affordable Housing Developer of the Year
- 8Best Investment-Ready Project
C · 4 awards
Design & Construction Professionals
Architects, engineers and designers
- 9Architect of the Year
- 10Construction Engineer of the Year
- 11Interior Designer of the Year
- 12Landscape & Exterior Designer of the Year
D · 4 awards
Real Estate Professionals
Agents, valuers and lawyers
- 13Real Estate Agent of the Year
- 14Valuer of the Year
- 15Real Estate Lawyer of the Year
- 16Rising Star Award
E · 3 awards
Property Management & Services
Keeping buildings working
- 17Property Manager of the Year
- 18Facilities & Cleaning Provider of the Year
- 19Branding & Signage Provider of the Year
F · 2 awards
Materials & Products
Suppliers and innovators
- 20Building Materials & Furnishings Supplier of the Year
- 21Best New Building Product
G · 4 awards
Finance & Technology
Capital and innovation
- 22Mortgage Bank of the Year
- 23Microfinance Bank of the Year
- 24Institutional Investor of the Year
- 25PropTech Innovation of the Year
H · 4 awards
Government, Sustainability & Industry
Partners for better cities
- 26Government Partner of the Year
- 27Climate & Sustainability Leader of the Year
- 28Real Estate Training Institution of the Year
- 29Best Real Estate Media Show of the Year
I · 5 awards
Special & Members' Awards
Honouring the sector's best
- 30Lifetime Achievement Award
- 31Sector Champion Award
- 32President's Award for Excellence
- 33Member of the Year
- 34Chapter of the Year
Entry fees
Per submission, per award. Pay online by MTN or Airtel mobile money, or Visa/Mastercard — your AREA-branded receipt is issued instantly by email.
How to submit
- 1
Check eligibility. Projects must be in Uganda and at least 80% complete (not required for Award 8). Entrants must have no unresolved disciplinary findings.
- 2
Prepare your evidence: documents, data, photos, references and short videos, following your award's scorecard.
- 3
Pay the entry fee for your award and keep your receipt — it is issued automatically when you pay online.
- 4
Submit by 20 October 2026 on this portal, by email to president@areauganda.org, or by hand.
- 5
Get verified. Shortlist by 30 October. Judges' interviews and site visits 2–20 November.
Fair, open and independent
Open to all
Members and non-members compete on equal terms. Companies may submit their own entries.
A scorecard for every award
Indicators are written for each of the 34 awards, so an architect is not judged like a cleaner or a mortgage bank like a media show.
Independent panel
5–7 judges, at least three not AREA members, score every entry out of 100. Winners need at least 70.
Win recognition
Trophy and certificate, and press, live-stream and social media coverage. Panel decisions are final.
Judged on: Excellence 30 · Impact 25 · Innovation 20 · Sustainability 15 · Integrity 10.
Submit your entry
Complete the form and pay the entry fee online. Your official AREA receipt is emailed to you the moment your payment clears.