Govt moves to commercialise homegrown digital innovations
The directive was issued by the Minister of State for ICT and National Guidance in charge of National Guidance, Alioni Yorke Odria, during his maiden familiarisation tour of the institute’s facilities in Nakawa, Kampala, on Friday (July 31).
Minister of State for ICT and National Guidance in charge of National Guidance, Alioni Yorke Odria (left), receives documents from Uganda Institute of Information and Communications Technology (UICT) governing council chairperson Dr Dean Munene (centre) and UICT Principal Dr Fredrick Kitoogo during an event at the National ICT Hub in Nakawa. (Credit: UICT)
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The Government has given technical teams at the Uganda Institute of Information and Communications Technology (UICT) two weeks to compile a comprehensive inventory of locally developed digital innovations and software that are ready for commercialisation.
The directive was issued by the Minister of State for ICT and National Guidance in charge of National Guidance, Alioni Yorke Odria, during his maiden familiarisation tour of the institute’s facilities in Nakawa, Kampala, on Friday (July 31).
Odria, who is also the Aringa South MP, said the move is aimed at identifying promising innovations developed by Ugandan youth and creating pathways to take them from laboratories and innovation hubs into the marketplace.
The minister, who was appointed in the recent Cabinet reshuffle, replacing Godfrey Kabbyanga Baluku, commended UICT innovators for developing solutions with the potential to address local challenges and compete globally.
"I have given them two weeks to come up with a complete list of these new innovations, software and systems," Odria said.
He added, "We shall convene a workshop to review the innovations and engage government on mobilising resources to commercialise them, not only for Uganda but also for Africa and the rest of the world."
Uganda has recorded several successful examples of homegrown innovations reaching commercial markets, including in e-mobility, financial technology, health technology and agro-processing.
In the automotive sector, Kiira Motors Corporation, which originated from research at Makerere University, has commercialised electric transit buses under the Kayoola E-Bus series, which are operating on public transport routes in Kampala and other corridors.
Electric mobility firms such as Zembo and Bodawerk have also expanded electric motorcycle solutions and battery-swapping networks targeting the East African boda-boda market.
A key obstacle remains the gap between research and the market, with many innovations from academic and technical institutions struggling to secure intellectual property protection, manufacturing capacity, investment and industry partnerships needed for large-scale production.
During his tour, Odria interacted with several innovations developed at UICT, including a virtual reality system at the institute’s innovation laboratory.
He also witnessed demonstrations of a digital monitoring system for the Parish Development Model (PDM), which provides real-time information on beneficiaries, funds disbursed, utilisation and loan repayments up to village level.
"They were able to pull out village beneficiaries in my own constituency," Odria said, adding, "I could see how much money they had received, how they were utilising it and how they were paying it back. Everything is fully digitised."
The minister was also shown an online business registration platform capable of completing company registration within an hour without applicants having to visit banks or queue at government offices.
Other innovations showcased included an artificial intelligence-powered self-driving vehicle prototype and a smart traffic management system developed by an eight-year-old innovator.
Odria said supporting locally developed technologies would be critical in achieving Uganda’s Vision 2040 ambition of transforming the country into a middle-income economy through innovation and digitalisation.
He added that digital systems can strengthen transparency and accountability in public service delivery by reducing opportunities for corruption.
The minister pledged government support to innovators through access to innovation hubs, high-speed internet, mentorship and other resources to help young Ugandans transform ideas into commercially successful products.
Munene congratulated Odria on his official appointment, noting that the close working relationship between UICT, the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, the Permanent Secretary, and other government stakeholders had been instrumental in advancing the institution’s mandate.
He said UICT remains central to Uganda’s digital transformation agenda through skills development, promotion of innovation, and supporting the country’s broader economic growth aspirations.
While acknowledging operational and budgetary challenges facing the institute, Munene reaffirmed the Governing Council’s commitment to providing strategic leadership, strengthening governance structures, and ensuring accountability in the implementation of UICT’s mandate.
Dr. Amina Zawedde, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, highlighted two key challenges affecting UICT: managing its wage bill and aligning its operations, particularly student admissions, with new statutory requirements.
Zawedde explained that UICT had initially relied on internally generated revenue to pay staff salaries before government, through the Ministry of Finance, agreed to take on part of the wage bill following engagements with the institute.
However, she said the phased government intervention had created an absorption challenge, with UICT struggling to fully utilise the funds allocated for staff costs.
“We started off with the institute depending on internally generated funds to pay for their staff. But we made a case to the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry took up part of the wage bill,” Zawedde said.
She added that while the Government support was a significant milestone, the institute needed to address its capacity to absorb the funding provided.
About UICT
UICT was founded in 2000 by the Uganda Communications Commission and later formally established and gazetted under Statutory Instrument Number 79 of October 2005. The institute is mandated to provide ICT human capital development, industry-relevant digital skilling, applied research, innovation and ICT advisory services.