Govt sets up regional hubs to support innovators
Since innovation hubs are thinking spaces for innovators, the ministry permanent secretary Dr Aminah Zawedde says: "We have supported the setup of the Innovation Hub at Kabale University, Soroti University, and Muni University".
Dr Aminah Zawedde, ICT ministry PS interacts with Sasayama Takuya, Japanese Ambassador to Uganda as other delegates look on during the courtesy visit at the National ICT Innovation Hub in Nakawa on 29th May 2024. (Photo by Juliet Kasirye)
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_________________ Dr Aminah Zawedde, ICT ministry PS addressing delegates during the courtesy visit at the National ICT Innovation Hub in Nakawa on 29th May 2024. Photo by Juliet Kasirye Dr Aminah Zawedde, ICT ministry PS, Sasayama Takuya, Japanese Ambassador to Uganda together with other delegates pose for a photo during the courtesy visit at the National ICT Innovation Hub in Nakawa on 29th May 2024. Photo by Juliet Kasirye
To ensure no one is left behind regarding digital transformation, the Government, through the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, (ICT) and National Guidance, has started setting up different regional innovation hubs to support innovators nationwide.
The Hubs are expected to support innovators with space, computers, and connectivity free of charge.
Since innovation hubs are thinking spaces for innovators, the ministry permanent secretary Dr Aminah Zawedde says: "We have supported the setup of the Innovation Hub at Kabale University, Soroti University, and Muni University".
“The training and mentorship programs we are having at the National ICT Hub, we want to replicate as much as possible these programs in the innovation hubs across the country so that no one is left behind on the digital transformation journey,” Zawedde says.
Since innovation hubs currently are not enough compared to the number of innovators who need the service, Zawedde says, the ministry is setting up innovation hubs across the country to support as many innovators as possible.
“Uganda has over 30 million young people, but if we can put up possibilities of supporting all these young people by keeping them engaged, giving them employment opportunities, then we shall see a rapid social economic transformation of our country leveraging on ICT,” Zawedde adds.
So far, across the country, according to Zawedde, the ministry has supported over 9,000 innovators in terms of skilling, training, mentoring, and educating innovators in different areas including handling intellectual property rights, business plans, costing, and pitching products among others.
She made the remarks during the courtesy visit of the new Japanese Ambassador to Uganda, Sasayama Takuya, at the National ICT Innovation Hub in Nakawa on Wednesday, May 29, 2024.
The visit aimed at strengthening collaboration between Japan and Uganda in the ICT sector.
During the discussions, the ministry’s areas of focus included digital governance, e-services, cybersecurity, and e-commerce.
Japan's government lauded for UJ-Connect
Addressing the Japanese delegation, Zawedde commended the Japanese government through the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) for the collaboration with the ICT ministry that led to the inception of the UJ-Connect project in 2022
UJ-Connect is an initiative program under the Record of Discussion signed between the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance and Japan International Cooperation Agency. It aims to connect Ugandan companies with Japanese companies, fostering job creation, innovation, and economic growth through international partnerships.
“UJ-Connect serves as a bridge connecting Uganda's dynamic talent pool with opportunities within Japanese companies. It has facilitated connections between Ugandan ICT companies and entrepreneurs with their Japanese counterparts, academia, and government entities, fostering skills transfer and knowledge exchange,” Zawedde said.
According to the ministry, the four-year project focuses on cybersecurity and data protection and privacy, innovation and entrepreneurship, infrastructure and connectivity, and ensuring that all parts of Uganda are connected and people have access to devices. Another area of focus is taking digital services taking as many services online as possible to improve efficiency, transparency, accountability, and ease of doing business.
“Your excellency, your visit symbolizes an acknowledgment of innovation and technology's pivotal role in fostering bilateral relations and economic advancement,” Zawedde said.
To boost Uganda’s ICT sector, Zawedde requested the Japanese Ambassador, “When the project is scaled up, we expect to mentor more innovators and have wider business matching so that companies in Japan employ our innovators. We also expect that we grow the project and provide infrastructure and equipment for supporting the development and testing of these innovations.”
Sasayama appreciated the team for their continued support in enabling ICT in Uganda.
"My government and my office, together with JICA, would like to be a kind of platform. We may not be able to invent a new business, but we can certainly facilitate to help those who need it. I am looking forward and I will do my best during my time here.” Takuya said.