Uganda, Japan partnership targets youth employment through ICT innovation

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The Government of Uganda, in partnership with that of Japan, has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the country’s ICT sector as a key driver of economic growth and youth employment.

Through the Uganda ICT Industry Promotion Project, also known as the Uganda-Japan Connect Project, the ICT ministry aims to create over 1,000 ICT companies and at least 10,000 jobs by the project's end.

Speaking during the fifth stakeholders’ meeting at the Skills Hub in Kampala city, ICT ministry commissioner for research and development Ambrose Ruyooka said Uganda is well-positioned to benefit from the global digital economy by tapping into outsourcing opportunities from Japan.

“Our engineers, software developers and ICT graduates have technical competencies that match those of their Japanese counterparts,” Ruyooka said.

“The challenge we face is not technical skills, but communication—understanding the cultural and business language expectations of Japanese companies.”

Japan, with its ageing population and a shortage of young tech professionals, is actively seeking outsourcing partnerships, which Ruyooka said Uganda, with its youthful and skilled workforce, presents a strategic solution.

"So far, the project has successfully matched 49 Ugandan ICT companies with Japanese firms and created over 10,000 jobs, thanks in part to support from the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA)," he said.

Ruyooka also highlighted the launch of national ICT skills standards, which aim to ensure Ugandan professionals meet international benchmarks.

“When you develop an app in Uganda and upload it to the cloud, your client could be sitting in Denmark or Tokyo,” he said. “That’s why we are standardising ICT skills to ensure global recognition and competitiveness of our workforce.”

These standards, which define minimum technical competencies, will be implemented at innovation hubs across the country, including those at Gulu, Mbarara, and Soroti universities. The goal, Ruyooka said, is to equip young people with market-ready skills for both local and global economies.

Yoichi Inoue, the JICA representative to Uganda, expressed confidence in the project's direction. “We have already completed one and a half years, and we have another one and a half years to go. The progress is very good,” he said, adding that JICA is keen to promote business process outsourcing (BPO) between the two countries.

Representing the ministry's permanent secretary, undersecretary Sophia Nantongo praised stakeholders for their commitment.

“The Uganda ICT Industry Promotion Project represents a vital strategic initiative aimed at fostering an inclusive and vibrant ICT industry that can drive economic growth, create employment, and improve public service delivery,” she stated.

The project aligns with the recently launched National Development Plan IV, which prioritises digital transformation and innovation as key pillars for national growth.