HiPipo has officially announced the nominees for the 2025 Digital Impact Awards Africa (DIAA). Voting is open until November 14th at 8:00 AM (EAT), the same day the winners will be unveiled during a prestigious awards gala ceremony at the Kampala Serena Hotel. The awards event will coincide with the Digital and Financial Inclusion Summit, an event that gathers leaders, policymakers, innovators, and everyday consumers to discuss digital and financial services in Africa.
DIAA recognizes, celebrates, and honors stakeholders, individuals, and organizations that are driving the use of digital technologies to serve their communities better. In addition, the awards highlight and promote digital excellence across Africa, showcasing initiatives that are transforming lives through innovation and inclusion.
HiPipo has added six (6) new categories to the 2025 Digital Impact Awards Africa in addition to the 12 categories from the 2024 edition, reflecting “the real issues shaping people’s lives – from sustainable energy and fuel distribution to ride-hailing services, home technology, and democratizing vehicle ownership,” according to HiPipo. These categories, they say, matter because they speak to the services that directly affect how consumers move, live, and power their everyday lives in this digital landscape.
“Many submissions went beyond the original categories, pushing us to recognize the real changes happening in society. That’s why we introduced new categories and a Special Commendation for Transforming Uganda – to highlight leaders making a visible difference in people’s lives,” Joseph Kimbowa, HiPipo’s Chief Content Officer, said in a press statement.
In the new categories, the Holistic Ride-Hailing Services category brings together nominees competing to show who best delivers mobility solutions that are reliable, affordable, and accessible. In the Sustainable Energy & Fuel Distribution category, companies were nominated for their roles in transforming the energy value chain.
The line-up for Excellent Personal and Home Technology nominees brings innovations in safety, connectivity, or smart home convenience. Meanwhile, the Democratizing Cars’ Ownership category sees nominees vying to make car ownership more attainable through new business models or finance schemes, while in the Democratizing Motorbikes’ Ownership category, nominees are challenging traditional barriers to owning motorbikes.
Meanwhile, among this year’s top contenders for Digital Brand of the Year are MTN Uganda and MTN MoMo, Airtel Uganda and Airtel Money, Centenary Bank and Centenary Group, Standard Chartered Bank, Stanbic Bank, and NWSC, each recognized for their contribution to advancing digital adoption and financial access.
The CEO of the Year category features notable leaders such as Fabian Kasi (Centenary Bank), Julius Kakeeto (PostBank Uganda), Japhet Aritho (Airtel Mobile Commerce), Moris Seguya (Interswitch), Veronicah Namagembe (Pride Bank), and Richard Yego (MTN MoMo).
Below is the full list of the nominees in each category.
|
Category |
Nominees |
| Holistic Ride-Hailing Services |
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| Sustainable Energy & Fuel Distribution |
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| Excellent Personal and Home Technology |
|
| Democratizing Cars’ Ownership |
|
| Democratizing Motorbikes’ Ownership |
|
| Financial Inclusion Excellence |
|
| Digital Banking Excellence |
|
| Banking Innovation Excellence |
|
| Community/MFI Banking Innovation Excellence |
|
| FinTech Startup of the Year |
|
| FinTech of the Year |
|
| Financial Services Digital Excellence |
|
| Consumer Goods and Services Digital Excellence |
|
| Utilities and Government Services Digital Excellence |
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| Technology Services Digital Excellence |
|
| CEO of the Year |
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| Digital Brand of the Year |
|
| Special Commendation for Transforming Uganda | Winner to be determined by the Jury |
See also: Salama-UG joins other African startups to showcase at the 2025 Web Summit in Lisbon
