Uganda’s push to establish itself in the global tech arena has taken a definitive direction. Speaking during the opening of the first-ever software Developers summit in Uganda, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, Dr Aminah Zawedde, emphasised the importance of specialisation in carving out a unique position for the country within the competitive landscape of technology.
During her address on Thursday, the first day of the Nakawa National ICT Hub summit, Dr Zawedde highlighted examples of countries that have successfully penetrated the tech world by leveraging their unique niches. She explained how these nations have harnessed their specific strengths and areas of expertise to carve out significant positions in the global market.
By focusing on their specializations, these countries have been able to develop robust tech ecosystems, attract international investments, and create millions of jobs for their young, promising tech talents.
Dr. Zawedde emphasized the importance of identifying and nurturing these unique niches to drive technological advancement and economic growth. She pointed to countries like India, which has become a global leader in IT services and software development, and the Philippines, renowned for its innovation in business process outsourcing (BPO), customer service and medical tech.
By following similar strategies, she suggested that Uganda could also achieve significant success in the tech industry. By following similar strategies, she suggested that other nations could also achieve significant success in the tech industry.
“Business Process Outsourcing requires some muscles of innovative minds and countries that are enjoying these are spaces that are Indian and Philipian but we want Uganda to compete with these first two. And we have come up with an intentional drive towards this. I went to these countries to find out what made them be in such spaces, I found out that we have the same features but they are better than us because they have a specific niche, so even here if we say that our niche is software developing, we can attract investors and jet into the tech world currently there is a country looking for over 300 developers so, we need to master this and becomes our niche,” she said.
About her argument, she appreciated Refactory an academy that has nurtured hundreds of software developers from scratch and 85 per cent of these are currently employed in big tech companies.
“The refactory Academy and Ministry of ICT signed a Memorandum of Understanding in 2022. Today’s summit is one of the outputs of this partnership. We have celebrated several graduations and we are happy to learn that the trained individuals get employed,” she said.
Dr Zawedde added that the government is committed to ensuring that every region has a national ICT hub to enable developers to access the resources and support they need. These hubs are designed to provide state-of-the-art facilities, mentorship, and networking opportunities, fostering innovation and collaboration among tech enthusiasts across the country.
Michael Niyitegeka, the Director of Refactory Academy and convener of the summit, emphasized the urgency for Ugandans to embrace tech knowledge as the world moves at a rapid pace. He pointed out that the traditional education setup is no longer sufficient to meet the demands of the modern workforce. Instead, there is a pressing need for a shift towards tech-focused education and training programs that equip individuals with the skills required in today’s fast-evolving technological landscape.
“There is a study that has demonstrated that for the first time in the last decade University enrollment in the US has gone down. Why? Because people are adopting micro-credentials, something short that works and gets me to work, I don’t have to spend four years to get into the software industry….”
Meanwhile, the Uganda Developers’ Summitt aims to catalyse a dynamic tech community that propels Uganda’s tech industry forward, drives innovation, and fosters a culture of collaboration and growth.
This two-day forum is convening tech talent, employers, developers, regulators, and industry leaders, to shape the future of Uganda’s digital economy.
Through interactive sessions, hands-on workshops, and unparalleled networking opportunities, attendees can expect to not only learn from industry experts but also to connect with like-minded individuals, forge new partnerships, and explore the latest trends and technologies shaping the future of tech in Uganda.
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