Innovators and regional hub staff at Muni University have completed an intensive five-day, hands-on training in data protection, cybersecurity, privacy, and regulatory compliance, gaining the practical skills needed to build secure, compliant digital solutions from the very start of product development.
The session formed part of the National ICT Innovation Hub’s initiative, which works with regional hubs to strengthen innovation practices and promote responsible technology development. This effort aligns with the Digital Transformation Roadmap of the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, which identifies innovation, entrepreneurship, and digital skills as key pillars for advancing Uganda’s digital economy.
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Lailah Nalukwago, Project Management Specialist at the National ICT Innovation Hub, emphasized that prioritizing digital defense supports sustainable growth. “We are not just protecting data, but we are building the trust necessary for Ugandan startups to scale in a competitive market,” she said.
This training took place against the backdrop of a rise in digital threats across Africa. According to the 2025 State of Scams in Africa Report by the Global Anti-Scam Alliance, cyber-enabled fraud now results in a staggering continental loss of approximately US$57.8 billion annually. With nearly 68% of surveyed African adults reporting encounters with digital scams in the last year, these figures underscore the urgency of building local capacity to prevent and respond to cyber risks.
The impact of the training was immediate for the local innovators in attendance.
“I used to think of security as something you add at the end, but this session showed me how to bake it into my product from day one,” said James, one of the participants at the hub. “It is a game changer for protecting our users.”
Alice, another participant, said, “Navigating the Data Protection and Privacy Act always felt daunting, but I now have a clear roadmap for compliance. This knowledge makes our product significantly more attractive to investors and customers.”
Datatrack Solutions Consult facilitated the technical sessions.
This partnership with Muni University allows the National ICT Innovation Hub to tap into the raw potential of academia and nurture breakthroughs at their point of origin. It is here, while these ventures are still young and agile, that the hub is cyberproofing Uganda’s future tech entrepreneurs to guarantee a digital transformation built on trust.
