Ugandans have been tasked to appreciate the milestone achieved in the country’s Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) sector for more progress.
“We need Ugandans to come on board and appreciate these innovations. The future is here,” said Hon. Monica Musenero, the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation.
The Minister made the remarks on Monday, 16th June, 2025, during the 1st National Science Summit held at Kololo Independence Grounds.
The 1st National Science Summit, part of the National Science week 2025, was organised by the Secretariat of Science, Technology and Innovation-Office of the President in partnership with Makerere University, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, and Busitema University.
According to Dr. Musenero Uganda is now on the right path when it comes to science, technology and innovations due to the support from the government.
“Before 2020, we had no single vaccine manufacturing plant but now we are looking for the market for products. We now have a very organised system,” she said.
The Minister however appealed for more resources to amplify capacity to run more clinical trials.
“We are going to keep working on it. The Minister of Finance recently said that we are going to build a whole city for science. We are going to look into these innovations to see where you need more support,” she said.
Additionally, Dr. Musenero requested the State House Investors Protection Unit and other authorities to offer protection and technical support to scientists because they are also investors who are adding value to Uganda’s economy.
“Majority of these scientists have funded themselves and I believe that they deserve to be recognized as investors. There’s a surging storm of domestic investors and they need protection and technical support,” she stated.
“We should work together to ensure a positive and supportive environment for these scientists.”
On her part, the Head of the State House Investors Protection Unit (SHIPU), Col. Edith Nakalema said Uganda’s journey toward middle-income status depends critically on the citizens’ ability to transform scientific research into commercially viable innovations.
“As Head of the State House Investors Protection Unit, I’ve witnessed firsthand how robust investor protection frameworks serve as the foundation for sustainable innovation ecosystems,” she said.
“Under President Museveni’s vision, SHIPU was established not just to protect investors from exploitation, but to create an environment where research-driven innovations can flourish with the confidence of sustained investment. Our success is evident: the Uganda Electronic Investors Protection Portal (EIPP) has boosted Foreign Direct Investment by over 30% in just one year, demonstrating how accountability and transparency directly translate to economic growth.”
She further explained that through real-time responsiveness and the EIPP portal, the unit has managed to eliminate bureaucratic delays that previously discouraged investment in research commercialization.
“The Uganda Electronic Investors Protection Portal has revolutionized how we serve investors – providing real-time complaint lodging, service requests, and progress tracking.”
Furthermore, Col. Nakalema disclosed that Uganda’s decades of stability and security provide the foundation, but modern investment requires digital-age accountability and transparency.
“Quality research attracts quality investment, but only when investors have confidence in the protection of their capital and Intellectual Property (IP).”
Col. Nakalema also urged that transparent regulatory frameworks reduce investment risk and lower the cost of capital for innovators.
“Strong IP enforcement mechanisms protect both local inventors and international partners. Clear dispute resolution processes encourage long-term partnerships between researchers and investors.”
Col. Nakalema also advised that Uganda’s qualitative leap will not come from research or investment alone, but from the synergy between high-quality scientific inquiry and robust investor protection.
“Our role is to create an environment where researchers can focus on breakthrough discoveries while investors can confidently support the commercialization journey,” she said.
“Uganda ranked as the best investment destination in Africa by the Annual Investment Meeting in UAE for two consecutive years (2023 and 2024) and identified as the third most rewarding and profitable economy to invest in Africa by Oxford Economics. This isn’t just marketing—it’s measurable validation of our approach.”
Col. Nakalema also expressed gratitude to President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for his unwavering support towards sciences.
She explained that due to such support, Uganda has been able to progress socially and economically.
“We are talking about the negatives, yet a lot of positives are happening. We are so grateful to H.E the President for his unwavering support for sciences. H.E the President who is the chief promoter and supporter of the STIs is very proud of you.”
“I’m also full of gratitude to the Hon. Minister for what Uganda has achieved. A lot is happening in the line of mobility, health and others, it is really amazing.
I’m appealing to all Uganda to start appreciating Uganda because we are on the right track when it comes to sciences.”
Col. Nakalema commended the scientists for their innovative efforts, saying that without science-based solutions, a country cannot develop.
“We now have Ugandan-tailored solutions to challenges. Thank you, our leaders that are promoting this initiative aimed at providing solutions that are promoting prosperity,” Col. Nakalema noted.
She also called on the media to showcase the achievements of Uganda when it comes to innovations and research.
“It’s your role to shape the agenda for what is to be discussed. Tell everyone that a lot has been achieved, that is why the economy is stable and that is why Uganda is progressing steadily.”
On the other hand, Col. Nakalema reiterated her office’s commitment in ensuring that it collaboratively coordinates with all government ministries and agencies to safeguard everyone who adds value to Uganda’s economy by making sure that they are not delayed by government systems.
She also encouraged the STI sector to take keen interest in participating in global research and partnership.
At the same event, a clinical trial report was launched. The report was about safety, pharmaceutics, and preliminary efficacy of herbal products for treatment of acute respiratory viral infections including SARS-Cov2 in Uganda, phase 2a open label clinical trial.
Earlier, Mr. Baguma Douglas Karugaba, CEO of Innovex revealed that as an enterprise, they always look for challenges affecting the society and find ways of solving them through innovations.
He said they have already set up a first of a kind electronics manufacturing company in Uganda and they have also secured a global partnership in technology transfer.
“We are the first team of black people to manufacture electronics that are exported across the world,” Mr. Karugaba said.
“The electronics industry is a 600-billion-dollar industry and projected to grow to 1 trillion dollars in the next 10 years.”
Mr. Allan Muhumuza, the Mobility Bureau Team Leader–STI Secretariat said there’s more need for Uganda to tap into the e-mobility opportunities in the world and to achieve this the country needs to come up with the best technology that competes favorably in the global market.
“We are targeting to position Uganda as a net source of e-mobility tools and solutions to reduce dependence on imports and improve the wellbeing of Ugandans,” Mr. Muhumuza said.
He said so far, Uganda has a 10,000 annual installed production capacity and has so far invested USD 160 million since 2018 in the e-mobility sector.
“More than 4,700 Electric Vehicles have been locally produced; we have 150 battery swapping stations across the nation and 10,000 jobs have been created through e-mobility.”
Dr. Bruce Kirenga, the Principal of the College of Health Sciences at Makerere University and Chairperson Organising Committee, said the summit brought together researchers, innovators, policymakers, youths and industry leaders.
He added that the summit offered a unique opportunity for scientists from STI bureaus and the wider innovation ecosystem to present and explain the science behind their innovations and how these are being transitioned from laboratory to market.
Meanwhile, the weeklong National Science Week 2025 which kicked off today is running under the theme: “Made in Uganda – Innovation to market” and it will end on Friday, 20th June, 2025.
