MTN, Centenary, and Standard Chartered Emerge as the Biggest Winners at the Digital Impact Awards Africa

HiPipo successfully concluded its 2025 Digital Impact Awards Africa (DIAA), which recognizes, celebrates, and honors stakeholders, individuals, and organizations that are driving the use of digital technologies to better serve their communities. In addition, the awards highlight and promote digital excellence across Africa, showcasing initiatives that are transforming lives through innovation and inclusion.

Coinciding 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 2025 saw MTN Mobile Money Uganda Limited, MTN Uganda, Centenary Bank, and Standard Chartered Bank emerge as the biggest winners. Additionally, the awards introduced three special categories to honor individuals who have consistently advanced digital communication and marketing across both the public and private sectors over the years.

Delivering her keynote address, Hon. Joyce Nabosa Sebugwawo, the State Minister for ICT, noted that the original vision of HiPipo and CyberPLC, set more than a decade ago, was bold yet clear: to champion digital innovation, Fintech growth, and financial inclusion across the continent.

She affirmed that HiPipo and her partners continue to shape digital and financial inclusion across Africa. “These accomplishments in the digital domain are proof of the effectiveness of partnership and collaboration. The efforts of HiPipo and its collaborators have been enhanced by the invaluable support of the Gates Foundation, various government bodies, and regional entities, including the COMESA Business Council (CBC),” she said. “Collectively, they have incited a surge of digital excellence that has encompassed the most influential actors in Fintech innovation and the largest corporations in banking and telecommunications.”

HiPipo CEO, Innocent Kawooya, highlighted that HiPipo’s impact across the East Africa region has attracted broader regional interest, informing the decision to expand the Include EveryOne program within the COMESA bloc; beginning with Zambia and Malawi, with more countries to follow.

Kawooya noted that, beyond celebrating excellence, HiPipo has this year delivered practical digital and financial literacy trainings to last-mile communities. In Zambia and Malawi alone, the team has supported over 5,000 women cross-border traders, trained hundreds at Elegu Border Post, and engaged more than 200 digital and financial inclusion organizations.

Unlike the Special Commendation for Transforming Uganda, which was decided by a panel of judges, the remaining categories were determined through public voting. Below is the full list of winners.

The awards ceremony also featured a series of certificates recognizing outstanding brands for their exceptional contributions across various sectors. These commendations celebrate companies that have demonstrated innovation, impact, and commitment to improving everyday experiences for Ugandans, from advancing ride-hailing services and promoting sustainable energy solutions to enhancing personal technology and expanding access to vehicle and motorbike ownership.

The full list of certificate recipients is shown below.

Private Sector Foundation of Uganda (PSFU) Vice Chair, Sarah Kagingo, applauded the winners and reiterated PSFU’s commitment to supporting technology-driven transformation in Uganda. She challenged innovators to leverage emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, to drive last-mile inclusion.