Innovators and staff at Kabale University’s Regional Innovation Hub have completed hands-on training in cybersecurity, privacy, and regulatory compliance. The one-day session, held on 15 October 2025, was conducted by Ngura Consult to equip participants with the skills to design secure and compliant digital products right from the development stage.
The training is part of a wider effort by the National ICT Innovation Hub, which works with regional hubs to strengthen innovation practices and promote responsible technology development. It also supports the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance’s Digital Transformation Roadmap, which identifies innovation, entrepreneurship, and digital skills as key pillars for advancing Uganda’s digital economy.
Don Oringa, Team Lead at Ngura Consult, said integrating security early in the innovation process is no longer optional.
“When innovators embed cybersecurity and compliance from the start, they build products that are secure, reliable, and trusted by users,” he said.
Lailah Nalukwago, Project Management Specialist at the National ICT Innovation Hub, said building cybersecurity capacity in regional hubs is an important step towards a stronger innovation ecosystem.
“We’re ensuring that innovators and hub staff can meet regulatory and security standards as they develop and scale their products,” she noted.
The session took place against the backdrop of rising cybercrime across Africa. The Interpol Africa Cyber threat Assessment Report 2025 indicates that cybercrime now accounts for more than 30 percent of reported crimes in Eastern and Western Africa, with financial losses exceeding USD 3 billion. These figures underline the urgency of developing local capacity to prevent and respond to cyber threats.
By training innovators in cybersecurity and compliance, the Kabale University Regional Innovation Hub is helping startups reduce exposure to cyber risks while ensuring their solutions comply with Uganda’s Data Protection and Privacy Act. Incorporating Security by Design principles during development not only safeguards user data but also strengthens the resilience and market appeal of Ugandan innovations.
Through such initiatives, the National ICT Innovation Hub and its regional partners are laying a stronger foundation for secure digital innovation, enabling local innovators to build trusted products that support Uganda’s digital transformation agenda
