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Uganda Strengthens Digital Trust as PPDA Earns ISO Certification
Uganda’s digital government agenda has recorded a key milestone following the certification of the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA) to the ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Information Security Management System standard.
The certification was presented at a ceremony where the Minister of ICT and National Guidance, Hon. Justine Kasule Lumumba, served as Guest of Honour.
She congratulated PPDA on the achievement, noting its importance in strengthening trust, accountability, and transparency in public procurement systems.
“Congratulations, PPDA, on successfully attaining ISO Certification. This milestone places you among internationally recognized institutions committed to data security, integrity, and transparency in public procurement. As government digitizes procurement, cybersecurity must lead,” Hon. Lumumba said.
She commended PPDA’s Board, Management, and staff, and acknowledged the National Information Technology Authority-Uganda (NITA-U) for its support under the Uganda Digital Acceleration Project (UDAP-GovNet).
Speaking on behalf of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, Assistant Commissioner Research and Development, Mr Ambrose Ruyooka, said the achievement reflects Uganda’s long-term commitment to building digital trust.
He congratulated PPDA and praised NITA-U for its continued role in strengthening government cybersecurity resilience.
Mr. Ruyooka noted that shortly after NITA-U's establishment, the Ministry developed the National Information Security Strategy, which led to the creation of key cybersecurity structures, including the National Information Security Advisory Group (NISAG), the National Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT), and the Directorate of Information Security within NITA-U. The strategy also promoted the adoption of international standards such as ISO/IEC 27001 across government institutions.
He said PPDA’s certification demonstrates how earlier policy direction is now translating into practical institutional capability.
Mr Ruyooka emphasized that digital trust remains central to Uganda’s digital transformation, noting that all digital services and transactions depend on strong governance, risk management, and information security.
He added that PPDA’s achievement supports Pillar Three of the Digital Transformation Roadmap on Information Security and Data Privacy, which underpins Uganda’s wider digital transformation agenda. He explained that the five pillars of the roadmap- Digital Infrastructure and Connectivity, Digital Services, Information Security and Data Privacy, Digital Skills Development, and Innovation and Entrepreneurship- are interconnected, with security forming a critical foundation.
The certification comes as the government expands Electronic Government Procurement (e-GP) systems, making information security essential to safeguarding public procurement processes.
Mr Ruyooka also noted that the Ministry is developing Uganda’s National Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies Strategy. He said emerging frameworks such as ISO/IEC 42001 will guide responsible governance of Artificial Intelligence, building on lessons from information security standards.
He emphasized that innovation and trust must progress together.
PPDA Executive Director Benson Turamye described the certification as a major milestone in strengthening information security and institutional governance. He noted that being the first among the selected government institutions to attain certification reflects PPDA’s commitment to protecting procurement information and supporting secure digital transformation.
He added that the certification also supports Uganda’s wider economic transformation agenda under the Tenfold Growth Strategy, which aims to grow the economy from about USD 50 billion in 2023 to USD 500 billion by 2040.
He emphasized that public procurement plays a central role in this agenda as one of the main channels through which the government delivers services and implements the national budget. He noted that secure and efficient procurement systems are essential for improving budget performance, reducing waste, accelerating project delivery, strengthening accountability, and increasing returns on public investment.
The Minister urged other government institutions to prioritize information security as part of their digital transformation efforts.
PPDA’s certification marks a step forward in strengthening Uganda’s digital government systems and advancing secure, trusted public service delivery.
The certification was presented at a ceremony where the Minister of ICT and National Guidance, Hon. Justine Kasule Lumumba, served as Guest of Honour.
She congratulated PPDA on the achievement, noting its importance in strengthening trust, accountability, and transparency in public procurement systems.
“Congratulations, PPDA, on successfully attaining ISO Certification. This milestone places you among internationally recognized institutions committed to data security, integrity, and transparency in public procurement. As government digitizes procurement, cybersecurity must lead,” Hon. Lumumba said.
She commended PPDA’s Board, Management, and staff, and acknowledged the National Information Technology Authority-Uganda (NITA-U) for its support under the Uganda Digital Acceleration Project (UDAP-GovNet).
Speaking on behalf of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, Assistant Commissioner Research and Development, Mr Ambrose Ruyooka, said the achievement reflects Uganda’s long-term commitment to building digital trust.
He congratulated PPDA and praised NITA-U for its continued role in strengthening government cybersecurity resilience.
Mr. Ruyooka noted that shortly after NITA-U's establishment, the Ministry developed the National Information Security Strategy, which led to the creation of key cybersecurity structures, including the National Information Security Advisory Group (NISAG), the National Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT), and the Directorate of Information Security within NITA-U. The strategy also promoted the adoption of international standards such as ISO/IEC 27001 across government institutions.
He said PPDA’s certification demonstrates how earlier policy direction is now translating into practical institutional capability.
Mr Ruyooka emphasized that digital trust remains central to Uganda’s digital transformation, noting that all digital services and transactions depend on strong governance, risk management, and information security.
He added that PPDA’s achievement supports Pillar Three of the Digital Transformation Roadmap on Information Security and Data Privacy, which underpins Uganda’s wider digital transformation agenda. He explained that the five pillars of the roadmap- Digital Infrastructure and Connectivity, Digital Services, Information Security and Data Privacy, Digital Skills Development, and Innovation and Entrepreneurship- are interconnected, with security forming a critical foundation.
The certification comes as the government expands Electronic Government Procurement (e-GP) systems, making information security essential to safeguarding public procurement processes.
Mr Ruyooka also noted that the Ministry is developing Uganda’s National Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies Strategy. He said emerging frameworks such as ISO/IEC 42001 will guide responsible governance of Artificial Intelligence, building on lessons from information security standards.
He emphasized that innovation and trust must progress together.
PPDA Executive Director Benson Turamye described the certification as a major milestone in strengthening information security and institutional governance. He noted that being the first among the selected government institutions to attain certification reflects PPDA’s commitment to protecting procurement information and supporting secure digital transformation.
He added that the certification also supports Uganda’s wider economic transformation agenda under the Tenfold Growth Strategy, which aims to grow the economy from about USD 50 billion in 2023 to USD 500 billion by 2040.
He emphasized that public procurement plays a central role in this agenda as one of the main channels through which the government delivers services and implements the national budget. He noted that secure and efficient procurement systems are essential for improving budget performance, reducing waste, accelerating project delivery, strengthening accountability, and increasing returns on public investment.
The Minister urged other government institutions to prioritize information security as part of their digital transformation efforts.
PPDA’s certification marks a step forward in strengthening Uganda’s digital government systems and advancing secure, trusted public service delivery.
The author is a Communications Officer at the Ministry of ICT & National Guidance.
