Uganda’s technology leadership is set to convene in a bold move to accelerate digital transformation, drive job creation, and unlock technology-led economic growth, as Chief Information Officers (CIOs), Chief Technology Officers, Chief Digital Officers, Chief Information Security Officers, Heads of IT and technology executives across sectors prepare to align on national priorities.

The CIO–CxO Digital Leadership Conclave 2026, scheduled for 24th April 2026 at the National ICT Hub, comes at a pivotal moment for Uganda’s economic ambitions, particularly under NDP IV and Vision 2040, which seek to accelerate Uganda’s transformation into a high-income, technology-driven economy.

Uganda’s ICT sector continues to grow, currently contributing approximately 7–8% to GDP, with increasing digital adoption across financial services, agriculture, healthcare, education, and government. However, technology leaders argue that incremental growth alone will not deliver Uganda’s economic ambitions.

Uganda’s internet penetration has now reached over 60% percent, while 4G coverage extends to more than 85% of the population, creating a strong foundation for digital services.

Through the National Backbone Infrastructure, Government has deployed over 4,000 kilometres of fibre connectivity, connecting more than 1,500 government institutions and improving service delivery across sectors. These developments position ICT not just as a sector, but as a key driver of economic transformation and job creation.

Gideon Nkurunungi, Executive Secretary of the CIO–CxO Digital Leadership Forum, emphasized the need for technology-led disruption. “Incremental growth cannot deliver Uganda’s ambition under NDP IV.

If Uganda is to become a globally competitive economy, we must embrace disruption through technology. CIOs are gathering to build the platforms, systems, and innovations that will create jobs, unlock revenue, and accelerate Uganda’s transition toward a first-world digital economy.”

Nkurunungi added that Uganda must move from discussion to implementation. “For years, we have held conferences about AI, digital transformation, and innovation. That phase is over. We now have the technology, the leadership, and the urgency. The CIOs convening on 24th April are coming together to roll out technology solutions across sectors. We are starting now,” he said.

The CIO Conclave will focus on key national priorities including: AI deployment across sectors, Cybersecurity resilience, Digital infrastructure expansion, ICT-driven job creation, Digital payments and platforms, Digital public infrastructure.

These priorities align directly with Uganda’s Vision 2040 and NDP IV.

This comes at a time when Uganda is accelerating artificial intelligence adoption and strengthening cybersecurity resilience. Industry assessments indicate that Uganda continues to experience millions of cyber threat attempts annually, while organisations across banking, government, telecom, and fintech are increasing investments in AI, automation, and data-driven decision making.

Technology leaders say coordinated leadership is now required to ensure secure and scalable digital transformation.

Ahead of the CIO Conclave, on April 23rd, 2026, we will convene students and graduates for a Tech Leadership Workshop, simultaneously, launch the National Tech Skills Talent Program (2026–2035).

The 10-year initiative aims to build a globally competitive ICT workforce and address three urgent national challenges:Skills mismatch between graduates and enterprise demand, Increasing reliance on expatriate ICT labour, Limited pathways from education to employment

The program will operate under five strategic pillars: Skills Development and Certification, Talent Identification and Nurturing, Employment & Industry Linkages, Retention & Career Growth, Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Implementation targets include:

  • 500,000 technology professionals by 2035.
  • Establishment of Uganda as a regional digital talent hub

In recognition of Women’s Month, the CIO–CxO Digital Leadership Forum will also release a Position Paper on Women in Technical ICT Leadership, highlighting a critical talent gap affecting Uganda’s digital economy.

Industry consultations conducted by the Forum reveal:

  • Women represent approximately 28% of Uganda’s technology workforce.
  • Women occupy only ~10% of specialised technical ICT roles.
  • Women represent ~18% of technical leadership roles.
  • Female ICT university graduates account for approximately 35% but only 18% get employed.
  • Internet access gap persists: 31% women vs 43% men.

These findings suggest a systemic leak in Uganda’s ICT talent pipeline. This gap presents both a challenge and opportunity. Expanding women’s participation in ICT could significantly increase Uganda’s digital workforce capacity and accelerate innovation across sectors.

The Forum will also launch a National Compact for Women in ICT, encouraging organisations to commit to increasing women in technical roles by at least 1% annually, creating a snowball effect across the sector.

The CIO–CxO Conclave 2026 is expected to produce: Cross-sector technology collaboration frameworks, AI implementation initiatives, Digital talent partnerships, Cybersecurity coordination frameworks, Shared infrastructure initiatives.

The CIO–CxO Conclave 2026 will also mark the official launch of the CIO–CxO Digital Transformation & e-Government Leadership Awards 2026, designed to recognise institutions and leaders delivering measurable impact through technology-driven transformation.

The awards will spotlight excellence across: Digital transformation leadership, AI deployment & Automation, Cybersecurity resilience, Digital infrastructure innovation, Digital payments & platforms, ICT-driven job creation, Women in technical ICT leadership, and Public sector digital service transformation.

The awards are expected to become a national benchmark for digital leadership, encouraging organisations to move from digital experimentation to large-scale implementation.

"These Awards will recognise institutions that are not just talking about transformation, but delivering measurable impact. By recognising success, we accelerate adoption across the entire economy," said Nkurunungi.

Industry leaders say recognition of successful digital initiatives will accelerate adoption, strengthen collaboration, and support Uganda’s transition toward a globally competitive digital economy

The engagements on 23rd and 24th April 2026 therefore represent a coordinated national effort to accelerate Uganda’s digital transformation.