As Uganda continues to advance its digital transformation agenda, government leaders are placing increasing emphasis on locally developed digital solutions to strengthen service delivery and economic growth. In line with this national priority led by the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, the Parliamentary Committee on ICT and National Guidance conducted an oversight and verification visit to the Uganda Institute of Information and Communications Technology on 29th January 2026, led by Tonny Ayoo.

During the visit, UICT leadership showcased the Institute’s ongoing efforts to nurture digital talent and develop practical technology solutions to national challenges. The engagement provided Members of Parliament with an opportunity to interact directly with students, innovators, and trainers while assessing the infrastructure and programmes supporting start-ups and digital skills development.

One of the highlights of the visit was a live Augmented Virtual Reality (AVR) demonstration conducted by the Institute. The session simultaneously trained TVET instructors at Ntinda Vocational Training Institute, farmers in Mayuge District, and secondary school teachers, illustrating how AVR technology can deliver immersive and practical training across different locations. This approach enables UICT to standardize training quality across institutions while scaling skills development without a proportional increase in cost.

The Committee also toured newly established smart classrooms equipped with smart screens, audio-visual conferencing tools, and PTZ cameras that support modern digital learning and remote collaboration. Members of Parliament further visited the National ICT Innovation Hub, located at UICT, where they interacted with innovators developing locally relevant digital solutions and observed an ongoing children’s robotics workshop introducing young learners to the fundamentals of robotics and electronics through hands-on activities.

While commending UICT and the National ICT Innovation Hub for their role in developing digital skills and nurturing start-ups, the Committee noted that many local technologies still face challenges transitioning from research and development to full commercial deployment. Legislators encouraged innovators and institutional leaders to clearly identify policy and regulatory barriers that hinder commercialization, including taxation challenges and limited access to early-stage financing.

Members of Parliament also emphasized that if the government provides incentives to foreign investors and multinational technology companies, similar support mechanisms should be extended to local innovators. Temporary tax incentives or waivers, they noted, could give start-ups the stability and time needed to refine their technologies and scale their businesses.

Committee members acknowledged that the ICT sector requires continuous investment and upgrades to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving digital environment. Strengthening innovation hubs, research institutions, and digital training programmes, they noted, will be essential for building a strong pipeline of local solutions that can support Uganda’s digital transformation.