MTN launches second phase of women entrepreneurship programme

________________

MTN Uganda has launched the second phase of its women entrepreneurship programme, doubling down on an initiative that has already helped women-owned businesses win contracts worth more than sh62b and grow their share of the company's supply chain.

The Advancing Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) Incubator Programme, unveiled this week, targets women-run businesses that rarely make it into formal supply chains.

MTN says the structured programme takes women entrepreneurs and prepares them to compete, pitch to investors, and survive the paperwork and compliance demands of doing business with a large corporation.

Some of the women who lead small businesses being briefed about the programme. (Photo by Ali Twaha)

The first phase, launched in October 2023, brought 118 women entrepreneurs into MTN Uganda’s supplier network across sectors, including IT, network services, and facilities management.

Phase two, running under the theme ‘She Means Business’ goes further, adding training in financial management, ESG compliance, digital systems, and investor readiness.

Sylvia Mulinge, MTN CEO, said the results from the first phase made the case for going deeper.

"This progress demonstrates what is possible when women entrepreneurs are given access to opportunity, skills, and markets. With AWE 2.0 Incubator Programme, we are taking the next step, focusing on transforming businesses into structured, competitive, and investment-ready enterprises that can thrive within and beyond MTN's value chain,” she said.

Dorothy Semanda, CEO at ATC Uganda (center) and Sylvia Mulinge, MTN CEO (5th from right) and some of the women supported in the first phase of the programme. (Photo by Ali Twaha)

The programme is backed by a group of partners, including dfcu Bank Women in Business, ATC Uganda, Innovation Village, Zoho (under Analytics Business Centre), and MTN Mobile Money, giving participants access to financing, technology tools, and business advisory support beyond what MTN alone can offer.

Through 2026, AWE 2.0 will run accelerator trainings, mentorship sessions, investor pitch days, and supplier development activities. The original programme was designed as a three-year initiative, running through November 2026.