Roke Telkom Champions Local Innovation, Infrastructure at National ICT Summit

The second National ICT Summit concluded today at the National ICT Innovation Hub in Nakawa, wrapping up a successful two-day gathering focused on scaling Uganda’s digital economy through innovation and inclusion.

Convened by the ICT Association of Uganda (ICTAU), with support from Roke Telkom and other industry stakeholders, the summit brought together leaders from the public and private sectors, innovators, and development partners to align efforts around Uganda’s digital transformation agenda.

Day One featured a series of thought-provoking panel discussions involving technology leaders and policy experts.

The sessions addressed core issues driving Uganda’s digital evolution, including cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, digital skilling, and infrastructure development to support East Africa’s growing tech economy.

Dr. Aminah Zawedde, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, delivered a keynote on “The Digital Transformation Roadmap as a National Growth Engine.”

She outlined government efforts to position ICT as a driver of economic growth, job creation, and efficient service delivery, while calling for investment in scalable, inclusive digital infrastructure.

The second day shifted focus to regional cooperation, infrastructure, and inclusive innovation. A highlight was a keynote by Dr. Monica Musenero, Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, who spoke on the strategic role of digital transformation in national development.

“Digital transformation is not just a technological shift; it is an economic imperative,” she said.

“Our vision is to create a knowledge-based economy where our people are producers of innovation, not just consumers. We must foster a digitally skilled population, support local innovators, and ensure that no one is left behind as we build Uganda’s place in the global digital economy.”

Roke Telkom, Uganda’s leading home-grown telecommunications provider, reaffirmed its commitment to this vision by investing in digital infrastructure and enabling innovation.

Timothy Mugenyi, Head of Partnerships and Community Impact at Roke Telkom, participated in one of the summit’s most dynamic panels: “Unlocking East Africa’s Digital Economy in Trade, Innovation, and Inclusive Digital Transformation.”

Joining him in the session were Michael Mukasa, CEO of Liquid Intelligent Technologies; Tindomweba Brian, Head of IT Operations and Infrastructure at Stanbic Bank; Collin Babirukamu, Executive Director IT at Bank of Uganda; and Bob Atuhaire Norman, Manager of Technology and Innovation at Clarkson Insurance Brokers.

The discussion examined the foundational elements of East Africa’s digital economy, such as regional interoperability, data governance, fintech acceleration, and equitable access to digital infrastructure.

Speaking on the shift from analog to digital economies, Mugenyi noted, “We are shifting the value creation from the traditional economy, which we have known, to the digital economy.”

He emphasized Roke Telkom’s contributions through services like Roke Cloud, which empower innovators to scale impactful solutions quickly and cost-effectively.

Through initiatives like Roke Cloud, the company is actively enabling innovation in key sectors such as AgriTech, HealthTech, EduTech, IoT, and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO). These efforts align with Uganda’s Digital Transformation Roadmap (2023/24–2027/28) and long-term Vision 2040.

As the summit concluded, participants expressed a strong sense of shared purpose. Leaders across sectors committed to deepening collaboration, combining resources and expertise to accelerate digital progress, reduce access barriers, nurture local talent, and champion homegrown solutions.

Their collective aim is to shape an inclusive, resilient, and globally competitive digital economy that leaves no Ugandan behind.