Govt turns to local innovators to build State systems

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Uganda’s Ministry of ICT and National Guidance has launched a nationwide search for local technology innovators capable of building digital systems for government services, in what officials describe as a major push to reduce dependence on foreign technology providers and strengthen Uganda’s home-grown digital economy.

In a public call issued on May 19, the ministry invited software developers, start-ups, universities, innovation hubs and Ugandan-owned technology companies to submit working digital prototypes for possible inclusion in a new National Innovator Registry.

The initiative comes as the government accelerates plans to digitise public services across multiple sectors during the 2025/26 financial year.

According to the ministry, the digitisation programme is intended to improve efficiency, transparency and citizen access to government services by shifting more systems online.

This could affect everything from tax payments and land registration to hospital records, employment services and digital identity systems.

“The Ministry is committed to engaging Ugandan innovators in this work and building a sustainable pipeline of locally developed Government digital solutions,” the official statement said.

The government is now asking innovators to submit functional systems or working prototypes relevant to public service delivery before the June 1 deadline.

Officials say the programme has several objectives.

One is to identify Ugandan innovators capable of building government-ready digital systems. Another is to create what the ministry calls the Uganda National Innovator Registry, a database of vetted local innovators from which ministries, departments and agencies may later source candidates for future digitisation projects.

The registry, however, will not automatically guarantee contracts.

“Registry enrolment does not constitute an award of contract or a guarantee of future engagement,” the ministry clarified.

Still, for many local technology firms and young software developers, the initiative could open rare opportunities to participate directly in major government digital infrastructure projects that have historically often gone to larger foreign contractors.

The ministry outlined several priority areas where it is seeking digital solutions.

These include digital identity systems, tax collection platforms, health information management, education systems, land administration, agriculture technology, employment services, pension management, justice systems and citizen engagement platforms.

Officials also encouraged innovators to think beyond the listed categories and propose creative digital solutions addressing wider government service delivery challenges.

Applicants eligible for the programme include Ugandan-owned start-ups, individual software developers, universities, research institutions and innovation hubs operating within Uganda.

However, the ministry excluded joint ventures involving foreign firms, signalling a deliberate policy emphasis on promoting local technological capacity and domestic digital ownership.

The application process itself is entirely digital.

Applicants must register through the Government Digital Registry portal, complete application forms, and upload supporting documents, including business registration details, system descriptions, architecture diagrams and tax clearance certificates.

The ministry also requested video walkthroughs for applicants unable to present systems physically.

According to the notice, all submitted systems will undergo evaluation by a technical panel using criteria that include technical quality, scalability, security compliance, usability, innovation value and relevance to government needs.

The ministry said shortlisted innovators will later participate in a Government Systems Prototype Showcase scheduled for June 25, while final classification into the National Innovator Registry is expected by July 5.

The move reflects a change in governments across Africa toward digital public infrastructure — large-scale digital systems used to deliver services such as identification, payments, healthcare, licensing and public administration.

Uganda has increasingly expanded e-government services in recent years, but many systems remain fragmented, partially manual or dependent on external technology vendors.

Officials argue that involving local innovators more directly could help build systems better adapted to Uganda’s realities while also creating jobs and strengthening the country’s technology ecosystem.

The ministry also stressed that intellectual property rights for submitted systems would remain with applicants and that all materials would be treated confidentially during evaluation.