en.Wedoany.com Reported - The ICT Association of Uganda and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation recently held a strategic roundtable meeting to formulate the country's digital transformation roadmap for the 3rd National ICT Summit 2026.

The meeting, themed "From Connectivity to Intelligence: Leveraging AI, Digital Infrastructure and Innovation to Accelerate Uganda's Tenfold Growth Towards a $500 Billion Economy by 2040," brought together representatives from government, the private sector, academia, innovation circles, and development partners for two days of discussions.

ICTAU Chairperson Elizabeth Ntege, in her opening remarks, urged participants to move beyond general dialogue and focus on actionable, industry-level practical solutions. She emphasized that the effectiveness of the summit process should ultimately be measured by implementation outcomes, not the breadth of discussions.

Economist Trevor L., representing the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, noted that Uganda's long-term economic goals must be achieved through structural transformation driven by science, technology, and innovation. He advocated for identifying constraints within the economy and designing targeted technological interventions to address these challenges. Participants were subsequently divided into three thematic working groups, focusing on agricultural industrialization, tourism development, and mineral development including oil, gas, and energy. Each group examined the challenges and opportunities of deploying AI, digital infrastructure, and innovation in their respective sectors to enhance productivity and competitiveness.

The outcomes of these working groups are expected to form the basis for industry roadmaps and policy recommendations, which will be submitted to the 3rd National ICT Summit 2026, providing a structured framework for implementation and multi-stakeholder collaboration. This initiative reflects Uganda's strategy to transition from basic digital connectivity to a "smart-driven" economy, where AI and advanced digital systems will play a central role in enhancing value creation, efficiency, and global competitiveness across key productive sectors.