Innovation
Uganda Prepares to Host the Digital Government Africa Summit 2026
At a press conference held today, May 5, 2026, at the Uganda Media Center in Kampala, the Minister of ICT and National Guidance, Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, together with the Minister of State for National Guidance, Hon. Godfrey Kabbyanga Baluku, the Executive Director of NITA-U, Dr. Hatwib Mugasa, senior officials from the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance and NITA-U, as well as representatives from African Brains Global, officially announced that Uganda will host the 2026 Digital Government Africa (DGA) Conference, a major continental summit dedicated to digital transformation, innovation, and modernization of public service delivery. The summit will take place from October 6 to October 8, 2026, at the Speke Resort and Convention Centre in Munyonyo, Kampala, under the theme “Accelerating Africa’s Digital Transformation of Government.”
Among the distinguished guests present at the press conference was Mr. John Glassey, Chief Executive Officer of African Brains, an international company based in the United Kingdom that specializes in convening high-level digital transformation conferences and forums across Africa. His presence showed the strengthening partnership between Uganda and African Brains in advancing continental dialogue on digital governance. Dr. Baryomunsi acknowledged African Brains Global for its consistent role in bringing together governments, private sector leaders, innovators, investors, and development partners to collectively shape Africa’s digital future. He further noted that the organization has successfully delivered previous editions of the Digital Government Africa conference across the continent, including the 2025 edition hosted in Zambia.
Reflecting on that engagement, the Minister recalled his participation in last year’s conference in Zambia, where African leaders and technology experts shared experiences on digital identity systems, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, government cloud infrastructure, and e-government services. He described the gathering as transformative, noting that it deepened Africa’s collective commitment to building integrated and citizen-centred digital governance systems. Against this backdrop, he said Uganda’s selection as the next host is both a recognition of progress and a demonstration of growing international confidence in the country’s digital transformation journey.
He added that the summit is expected to attract hundreds of delegates from across Africa and beyond, including ICT ministers, regulators, cybersecurity experts, cloud and data centre providers, digital finance institutions, innovators, investors, and development partners.
“Africa’s digital transformation must be collaborative. Countries are facing similar challenges, and there is a need to share lessons, avoid duplication, and develop solutions that are appropriate for our needs,” he said.
Dr. Baryomunsi explained that this timing carries symbolic value, offering the country an opportunity to reflect on its development milestones while showcasing how ICT continues to shape national growth and service delivery.
Uganda’s progress in this space, he added, is being driven by the Digital Transformation Roadmap, a strategic framework that guides the country’s digital future. The roadmap focuses on strengthening digital infrastructure, expanding e-government services, enhancing cybersecurity resilience, building digital skills, and fostering innovation across sectors. Through this coordinated approach, the government continues to position ICT not only as an enabler of efficiency but as a central pillar for economic transformation, inclusive growth, and improved citizen engagement across the country.
The Minister highlighted Uganda’s progress in ICT infrastructure and connectivity, noting that the National Backbone Infrastructure (NBI) has expanded to over 5,000 kilometres of fibre optic cable, connecting government institutions, districts, and urban centres. This has enabled more than 1,500 government sites to access high-speed internet and support systems such as the Integrated Financial Management System, e-procurement platforms, and online tax services, improving efficiency and transparency.
Connectivity has also grown significantly. Uganda now has over 44.3 million active mobile connections, exceeding the national population, reflecting widespread mobile penetration. Internet access has expanded alongside 4G coverage and emerging 5G trials in urban areas, helping reduce the digital divide and improve access to online services. The ICT sector contributes over 9% to GDP, driven by telecommunications, mobile money, software services, and digital innovation. Mobile money transactions now run into tens of trillions of shillings annually, supporting financial inclusion, especially in rural communities where traditional banking access is limited.
Dr. Hatwib Mugasa further highlighted Uganda’s international digital performance. He noted that Uganda’s GovTech Maturity Index stands at 0.79, placing the country in the “Very High Maturity” category, above the global average. He emphasized that the expansion of the NBI, now exceeding 5,000 kilometres, has been central to these achievements by enabling reliable connectivity for government operations and digital service delivery platforms.
Dr. Mugasa said Uganda’s selection to host DGA 2026 is a strong vote of confidence in its digital journey and rising role as a credible digital leader in Africa. He added that Uganda is increasingly positioned to host high-level continental discussions on digital transformation.
The summit will focus on digital identity systems, e-government services, government cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence governance, digital finance, electronic payments, ICT innovation, and digital skills development. It is expected to create opportunities for engagement between policymakers and innovators, while strengthening Uganda’s visibility as an ICT investment destination.
Among the distinguished guests present at the press conference was Mr. John Glassey, Chief Executive Officer of African Brains, an international company based in the United Kingdom that specializes in convening high-level digital transformation conferences and forums across Africa. His presence showed the strengthening partnership between Uganda and African Brains in advancing continental dialogue on digital governance. Dr. Baryomunsi acknowledged African Brains Global for its consistent role in bringing together governments, private sector leaders, innovators, investors, and development partners to collectively shape Africa’s digital future. He further noted that the organization has successfully delivered previous editions of the Digital Government Africa conference across the continent, including the 2025 edition hosted in Zambia.
Reflecting on that engagement, the Minister recalled his participation in last year’s conference in Zambia, where African leaders and technology experts shared experiences on digital identity systems, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, government cloud infrastructure, and e-government services. He described the gathering as transformative, noting that it deepened Africa’s collective commitment to building integrated and citizen-centred digital governance systems. Against this backdrop, he said Uganda’s selection as the next host is both a recognition of progress and a demonstration of growing international confidence in the country’s digital transformation journey.
He added that the summit is expected to attract hundreds of delegates from across Africa and beyond, including ICT ministers, regulators, cybersecurity experts, cloud and data centre providers, digital finance institutions, innovators, investors, and development partners.
“Africa’s digital transformation must be collaborative. Countries are facing similar challenges, and there is a need to share lessons, avoid duplication, and develop solutions that are appropriate for our needs,” he said.
Dr. Baryomunsi explained that this timing carries symbolic value, offering the country an opportunity to reflect on its development milestones while showcasing how ICT continues to shape national growth and service delivery.
Uganda’s progress in this space, he added, is being driven by the Digital Transformation Roadmap, a strategic framework that guides the country’s digital future. The roadmap focuses on strengthening digital infrastructure, expanding e-government services, enhancing cybersecurity resilience, building digital skills, and fostering innovation across sectors. Through this coordinated approach, the government continues to position ICT not only as an enabler of efficiency but as a central pillar for economic transformation, inclusive growth, and improved citizen engagement across the country.
The Minister highlighted Uganda’s progress in ICT infrastructure and connectivity, noting that the National Backbone Infrastructure (NBI) has expanded to over 5,000 kilometres of fibre optic cable, connecting government institutions, districts, and urban centres. This has enabled more than 1,500 government sites to access high-speed internet and support systems such as the Integrated Financial Management System, e-procurement platforms, and online tax services, improving efficiency and transparency.
Connectivity has also grown significantly. Uganda now has over 44.3 million active mobile connections, exceeding the national population, reflecting widespread mobile penetration. Internet access has expanded alongside 4G coverage and emerging 5G trials in urban areas, helping reduce the digital divide and improve access to online services. The ICT sector contributes over 9% to GDP, driven by telecommunications, mobile money, software services, and digital innovation. Mobile money transactions now run into tens of trillions of shillings annually, supporting financial inclusion, especially in rural communities where traditional banking access is limited.
Dr. Hatwib Mugasa further highlighted Uganda’s international digital performance. He noted that Uganda’s GovTech Maturity Index stands at 0.79, placing the country in the “Very High Maturity” category, above the global average. He emphasized that the expansion of the NBI, now exceeding 5,000 kilometres, has been central to these achievements by enabling reliable connectivity for government operations and digital service delivery platforms.
Dr. Mugasa said Uganda’s selection to host DGA 2026 is a strong vote of confidence in its digital journey and rising role as a credible digital leader in Africa. He added that Uganda is increasingly positioned to host high-level continental discussions on digital transformation.
The summit will focus on digital identity systems, e-government services, government cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence governance, digital finance, electronic payments, ICT innovation, and digital skills development. It is expected to create opportunities for engagement between policymakers and innovators, while strengthening Uganda’s visibility as an ICT investment destination.
The author is a Senior Communications Officer at the Ministry of ICT & National Guidance.
