NITA-U signs partnership with IT innovators

PIC: NITA-U's Peter Kahiigi hands over an MoU to Aziizi Kafeero at NITA-U offices in Kampala recently. (Credit: Shamim Saad)

INNOVATIONS | TECHNOLOGY

KAMPALA - The National Information Technology Authority Uganda (NITA-U) has signed partnerships with Kafeero Foundation and Solve Innovation Village, two local IT innovators.

The move is aimed at facilitating collaboration in the development of Government services that will transform social and economic development in Uganda.

SOLVE Innovation Village is a software incubation hub that pools a diverse group of individuals to build solutions to everyday community, public and industry challenges. Kafeero Foundation is a social enterprise that inspires and empowers individuals, communities and economies to grow through innovation.

The acting executive director of NITA-U, Peter Kahiigi, said the partnership is important because it would enable them to work together and reach out to many people.

"If we can use this partnership for digital skill trainings, create a digital/online platform for e-learning and increase access to online content across platforms, we will track the improvement of digital literacy across the country and create opportunities for employment," he said.

Kahiigi made the remarks during the signing of the memorandum of understanding at NITA-U offices in Kampala recently. 

He also challenged the parties to come up with something measurable within six months if they are to continue working together. They were tasked with developing home-grown e-services to avert the challenges associated with public service delivery.

"I need to see something measurable within six months. If I do not, I will have no option but to dissolve the marriage we have started to day." Kahiigi said.

Japheth Kawanguzi, the lead Innovation Village, said  with Uganda`s surging population, the biggest percentage being the youth, a partnership with NITA-U provides great opportunity to build a force within the ecosystem that will champion development, commercialisation and scaling of solutions.

"We plan to explore ways to pass on literacy about the NITA-U programmes and other digitisation efforts within the Government through campaigns, social media,'' Aziz Kafeero, the founder of Kafeero Foundation, said.