Commercial Property in Uganda: Shops, Offices, Warehouses
Updated 3 November 2026 · Land & Property editorial team
Prime offices in Kampala yield about 9 percent and prime warehouses about 13 percent on rent, according to Knight Frank figures reported in September 2026. Knight Frank expected a large addition of office space in 2025, so vacancy and rent terms matter as much as the headline yield. Land & Property had no live commercial listings on 3 November 2026. As of November 2026.
What yield does commercial property earn in Kampala?
Knight Frank, a property consultancy, publishes yields for prime buildings in East African cities, and the business press reports them. A yield here means annual rent as a share of the building's value. These are prime-grade figures, not averages for every shop or store, and they describe rent income only, before tax, vacancy and repairs. They are not a promise of what a building you buy will earn.
| Prime asset | Kampala | Dar es Salaam | Nairobi | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Office yield | About 9% | About 9% | About 8.5% | Knight Frank figures for H1 2026, as reported by Business Daily on 9 September 2026 |
| Grade A office rent | About USD 17 per sq m | About USD 15 | About USD 13 | Same report. The article does not state the rent period. |
| Warehouse yield | About 13% | About 10% | About 9.5% | Knight Frank industrial tracker as reported by Business Daily on 22 September 2026. The article dates the figures to H1 2026 in one place and H1 2025 in another, so treat them as indicative. |
Kampala's warehouse yield stands well above Nairobi's in this reporting, which reflects lower values for the same rent rather than a guarantee of return. Compare these with residential yields on Rental Yields in Kampala by Property Type and read how the numbers are built in our commercial property guide.
Is there too much office space in Kampala?
That report is now almost two years old, so ask for current vacancy before you rely on it. BusinessTimes Uganda reported in February 2025, citing Knight Frank's Kampala review, that more than 100,000 square metres of office space was expected to reach the market between the first and second halves of 2025. Vacancy for Grade A and AB offices had risen by one percentage point compared with H2 2023, and the report named business downsizing, completed government and NGO projects and moves from the city centre to the suburbs as causes. Grade A rents were stable and Grade AB rents were up 7 percent over the same comparison.
For a buyer, this means you should ask for the vacancy history of the building, the length of the leases in place and what rent the last tenant paid. For a tenant, it means you have room to negotiate. Our pages Office Space in Kampala: Rents, Supply and Yields and Commercial Lease Terms in Uganda go through both sides.
What commercial property can I find on Land & Property?
On 3 November 2026 we had no live listings in the commercial category. Our 93 published listings were plots, farmland, houses and apartments (Land & Property listings, Nov 2026). We would rather say so than pad this page with listings we do not hold. You can check the commercial listings at any time, and the page will fill as agents add shops, offices, warehouses and mixed-use buildings.
If you are an agent or owner with a commercial building, join as an agent to list it. Agents list free at launch, and we check each agent's identity before showing the verified badge. If you are looking for development land rather than a building, browse plots or ask us on WhatsApp or email what is coming. Homes and rentals are covered in our homes section.
Which commercial guides should I read?
Buildings and tenancies
- Commercial Property in Uganda: An Investor's Guide
- Shops and Commercial Buildings for Sale in Kampala
- Shops for Rent in Kampala: What Tenants Pay
- Office Space in Kampala: Rents, Supply and Yields
- Warehouses for Rent or Sale in Kampala
- Student Hostels Near Universities: Buy or Build
- Mall and Office Service Charges in Kampala
- Commercial Lease Terms in Uganda
- Commercial Building Due Diligence in Uganda
Land for commercial development
- Commercial Land for Sale in Uganda: Where and What to Check
- Commercial Land Near Kampala for Development
- Land for an Apartment Block: Size, Zoning, Density
- Industrial Park Land in Uganda: UIA Leases and Warnings
- Choosing a Site for Agro-Processing
- Land for a School: Size, Permits and Zoning
- Land for a Clinic or Hospital: Site Checks
- Land for a Petrol Station: Permits and Plot Size
- Land for Hotels and Resorts in Uganda
What should I check before buying a commercial building?
Commercial deals add layers to a land purchase. The title checks are the same, but you also need the leases and the money trail:
- Search the title and look for charges and caveats, as in How to Verify a Land Title in Uganda (2026).
- Ask for every lease, the rent roll, service-charge accounts and arrears. See Mall and Office Service Charges in Kampala for how service charges work.
- Confirm that the zoning and permitted use match what the tenants do. For development sites, read Commercial Land Near Kampala for Development.
- For rental income you receive as an individual, 12 percent tax applies to gross rent above UGX 2,820,000 a year, with no deduction for expenses (PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, as of November 2026). Companies are taxed on a different basis, so take advice.
- Run the full checklist in Commercial Building Due Diligence in Uganda and use a licensed advocate.
In this section
- Choosing a Site for Agro-ProcessingPower, water, roads and distance to raw material: how to choose and verify land for a processing plant. Nov 2026.
- Commercial Building Due Diligence in UgandaTitle, permits, tenant leases, arrears, VAT and structural checks before buying an income-producing building. Nov 2026.
- Commercial Land for Sale in Uganda: Where and What to CheckCommercial land in Uganda: highway, industrial and city-edge sites, zoning and change of use, price evidence and checks, dated Nov 2026.
- Commercial Land Near Kampala for DevelopmentOur plot listings in Bukoto, Ntinda, Kyanja and Entebbe road, plus the change-of-use, access and utility checks for a commercial project.
- Commercial Lease Terms in UgandaWhat the Landlord and Tenant Act, 2022 says on rent increases, deposits, service fees, fit-out and exit for shops and offices, and what to negotiate.
- Commercial Property in Uganda: An Investor's GuideYields, vacancy and lease norms for offices, retail and warehouses, sourced to Knight Frank and dated. Nov 2026.
- Industrial Park Land in Uganda: UIA Leases and WarningsHow land in Namanve and other industrial parks is allocated by UIA, its warnings about fraudulent titles, and the checks to make. Dated Nov 2026.
- Land for a Clinic or Hospital: Site ChecksSite, zoning and approval questions for a clinic or hospital, and what to verify on the land before you buy. Sources cited, Nov 2026.
- Land for a Petrol Station: Permits and Plot SizeThe 100 ft by 100 ft minimum site, road reserve rule and the Kampala permit for a petrol station, with sources and open questions. Nov 2026.
- Land for a School: Size, Permits and ZoningLand title, zoning and approvals for a school in Uganda, with Ministry of Education standards and a site checklist. What we could verify, Nov 2026.
- Land for an Apartment Block: Size, Zoning, DensityHow zoning, density, parking and plot size shape what a developer can pay for land for an apartment block, with listing prices and a worked example.
- Land for Hotels and Resorts in UgandaLakeshore and wetland constraints, NEMA checks, access and title issues for hospitality projects. Dated Nov 2026.
- Mall and Office Service Charges in KampalaHow service charges in malls and offices are set and how they affect a tenant's real rent. Sources cited, Nov 2026.
- Office Space in Kampala: Rents, Supply and YieldsSupply delivered in 2026, rents near USD 17 per sqm for prime, and negotiation points for tenants. Dated Nov 2026.
- Shops and Commercial Buildings for Sale in KampalaOur commercial listings with tenant-covenant checks, VAT questions and yield tests. With sources, dated Nov 2026.
- Shops for Rent in Kampala: What Tenants PayPrime mall shop rents by size from Knight Frank, how goodwill is treated, and the lease terms to check before you pay. Dated Nov 2026.
- Student Hostels Near Universities: Buy or BuildWhat drives demand for student hostels near universities, the approvals and permits needed, running costs and a worked yield. Not financial advice.
- Warehouses for Rent or Sale in KampalaIndustrial Area vs Ntinda-Nakawa vs Namanve warehouse rents in USD per sqm, the 13% yield and what tenants look for. Sources cited, Nov 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What yield does commercial property earn in Kampala?
Knight Frank figures reported by Business Daily put prime office yields in Kampala at about 9 percent and prime warehouse yields at about 13 percent. These are rent-based yields for prime buildings, not averages, and they exclude tax, vacancy and repairs. A particular building can earn more or less, so ask for the rent roll.
Is there too much office space in Kampala?
Reports in early 2025 expected more than 100,000 square metres of new office space and noted that vacancy in Grade A and AB buildings had risen by one percentage point against H2 2023. Supply was therefore a risk for buyers, and a bargaining point for tenants, so check current vacancy before you pay.
Does Land & Property have commercial listings?
Not yet. On 3 November 2026 none of our 93 published listings was in the commercial category. Agents can list shops, offices and warehouses free at launch through agent onboarding, and the commercial search page will show them as soon as they are published.
How is rent from commercial property taxed?
An individual landlord pays 12 percent of gross annual rent above UGX 2,820,000 with no deduction for expenses. Companies are taxed on a different basis. This is the position published by PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries as of November 2026, so confirm it with URA or a tax adviser before relying on it.
Sources
- Nairobi prime office rental yield stuck on higher supply (Knight Frank H1 2026 office yields), Business Daily (accessed 2026-11)
- Kampala, Dar extend dominance over Nairobi in warehouse rent yield, Business Daily (accessed 2026-11)
- Kampala poised for oversupply of office space in 2025, BusinessTimes Uganda (accessed 2026-11)
- Uganda individual taxes on personal income (rental income), PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries (accessed 2026-11)
- Land & Property listings, Nov 2026 (93 published listings, none commercial), Land & Property (accessed 2026-11)