Airtel Uganda Managing Director, Mr. Soumendra Sahu, has called upon Ugandan youth to harness the internet and digital technologies to develop innovative solutions that address the country’s pressing socio-economic challenges.
He made the remarks on the second day of the 9th National Conference on Communications held at the National ICT Innovation Hub in Nakawa, under the theme “Harnessing Digital Innovation to Power Sustainable Local Solutions for Uganda’s Development Goals.”
The event featured presentations by young innovators showcasing projects across health, agriculture, education, and business. While delivering his keynote address, Mr. Sahu emphasized that the internet should not only be viewed as a tool for consumption but as a platform for creativity and innovation.
“The challenges in health, education, business and agriculture are real, but you have the ability to solve them. With every megabyte, digital tool, or connection, you can design solutions that transform communities. Seize your moment, collaborate, experiment, and reimagine what is possible,” he noted.Mr. Sahu underscored the transformative potential of technology, citing examples of a farmer in Masaka accessing real-time weather data to improve yields, a business lady in Kabale running global businesses from the village, or a student in Mbale attending virtual lecture. “These are not distant dreams; they are possibilities that digital innovation can unlock for every Ugandan,” he added.
Sahu also outlined Airtel Uganda’s contribution to the country’s digital growth, highlighting the company’s heavy investments in achieving a nationwide 100% 4G network, innovations like Spam Alert service, VoLTE and partnerships designed to make smartphones more affordable, thereby reducing the digital divide. Mr Amos Mpungu, who head s Research at the Ministry of ICT, and represented the Permanent Secretary, emphasized the role of partnerships in firming the aspirations of Uganda’s digital transformation roadmap “This roadmap reminds us that people are the true roadmap. We must equip young people with resources to help us navigate today’s challenges”.
The UCC’s Director of Research, Ms Christine Mugimba expressed Uganda’s urgent need for collaboration between the academia, private sector and government, to adopt a coordinated national approach to technology and innovation, modelled on successful ecosystems such as Silicon Valley, so as to unlock Uganda’s full digital innovation potential.
