In a significant push toward a digital-first government, Dr. Aminah Zawedde, the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, revealed that half of all government services are now available online, a milestone the Ministry says brings Uganda measurably closer to its long-term goal of 95 percent digitization by 2040.
She emphasized that the 95 percent target is “not far out of reach” given the current intensity of the government’s ICT drive.
Dr. Zawedde made the revelation during the UBC Front Bench on Monday, where she was joined by Dr. Frederick Kitogo, Principal of the Uganda Institute of Information and Communications Technology (UICT). They described the achievement as the product of coordinated policy, investment, and partnership rather than a single programmatic win, while framing the milestone as proof that high-level ambitions are beginning to yield concrete services for citizens.
She tied digitization to Uganda’s long-term development planning, pointing out the National Development Plan and the Digital Uganda Vision 2040 as anchors for the ministry’s roadmap. She described how the Digital Transformation Roadmap and the NRM manifesto align around a suite of priorities: connectivity, access to devices, and legal frameworks to safeguard online transactions. “We have put in place laws and regulations that are supporting digitization,” said Dr. Zawedde, citing the Electronic Transactions Act and steps to make mobile-money transactions traceable and safer for citizens.
The PS further cited tangible examples of this digital shift that are already impacting citizens and public service delivery. These include applying for driving licenses and passports online, filing tax returns with the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), and business registration with the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) without physical visits.
Internally, the government has digitized core functions, she stated. “We now process all government payments from salaries to supplier transactions through integrated online systems, and even procurement for service providers is fully conducted online,” Dr. Zawede explained.
She further highlighted the ongoing rollout of the electronic procurement system, currently in 36 entities, with plans to expand to 400 government entities by the end of next year. To tackle bureaucratic inefficiency, an electronic document and records management system is being implemented in 11 government offices to phase out “the old stacks of files” and prevent documents from being lost.
But alongside policy are bracing numbers and pragmatic interventions, as the Permanent Secretary outlined a multi-pronged government strategy designed to ensure no one is left behind. She mentioned that the government has laid over 4,300 kilometers of the National Backbone Infrastructure and connected roughly 1,500 public sites, including local government offices, schools, and hospitals. The aim is to ramp up that footprint to reach 90 percent of the country’s coverage during the current National Development Plan cycle, and to push prices of internet access lower.
While the price of the internet has “significantly decreased,” Dr. Zawedde admitted it remains a concern, noting that the government is working with private sector players to further reduce internet costs as well as make internet-enabled devices such as smartphones, laptops, and computers accessible and affordable.
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To make devices more accessible and affordable, the government is exploring initiatives like setting up refurbishment centers to repurpose used computers from corporations for schools, and potential tax relief on smartphones and laptops. “We are discussing having conversations with the Ministry of Finance to ensure that we reduce or waive taxes on some of the smartphones and laptops, specifically targeting affordable, low-range devices for students,” said Dr. Zawedde.
On local innovation, the PS revealed that the Ministry has pledged preferential procurement for Ugandan-developed IT solutions, but with a quality caveat. “Please maintain the quality of the products that you’re developing,” she advised innovators. “Please ensure that the quality you’re giving us is comparable to the quality that would have got out there from the market.”
About 10 locally developed systems are currently being used by the government.
Skilling a Nation: UICT’s role in building a digital workforce
Complementing the government’s infrastructural push is a massive digital skilling initiative led by institutions like UICT. Dr. Kitogo described UICT’s push to make skilling inclusive, practical, and tied to market outcomes.
“Our principle is that we want to provide skills that are marketable, inclusive, futuristic, encompassing, and also hinged on emerging technologies,” he said. “We’re also experimenting with immersive technologies Augmented and Virtual Reality (AVR), that allows trainees to practice vocational tasks in simulated environments, reducing the risk and cost of mistakes on real-world sites.”
See also: UICT launches AVR Cluster Center to transform STEMI education with mixed reality
With the incorporation of immersive technologies, Dr. Kitogo said, “By the time the trainees go into the live environment, they already have those skills.” Arguing that such simulation tools accelerate readiness for employment.
Dr. Kitogo reported that over 60,000 Ugandans have been trained in the past three years, resulting in a notable increase in participation in the gig economy and creating more than 50,000 jobs. He emphasized that the focus is on turning skills into sustainable incomes
In his closing remark, he outlined UICT’s focus on future-proof technologies. “The things that are coming up are really data-related and AI-related,” he said, noting that the institute is skilling people in data science, machine learning, and natural language processing. He revealed they are even evolving systems to translate digital services into local languages to ensure deeper inclusiveness.
Uganda aims to become a regional BPO and IT hub through public-private efforts to improve infrastructure, skills, and incentives. However, success will rely on expanding connectivity, affordable access, and quality training, supported by a new BPO policy to attract international investors.
