SECURING UGANDA’S DIGITAL FUTURE: INAUGURAL NATIONAL CYBERSECURITY CONFERENCE SETS THE AGENDA FOR COLLECTIVE ACTION

KAMPALA, August 11, 2026 – Uganda’s digital economy grows, so does the responsibility to ensure that citizens can use digital services safely and with confidence.

This was the central message at the inaugural National Cybersecurity Conference 2026, hosted by the Uganda Communications Commission through the Uganda Computer Emergency Response Team (UgCERT) on 11–12 August 2026 at the Sheraton Kampala Hotel.

The two-day Conference placed cybersecurity firmly within Uganda’s development agenda not simply as a technology issue, but as a matter of public trust, economic stability, national security and the safety of citizens.

Opening the Conference, UCC Executive Director Hon. George William Nyombi Thembo emphasised that expanding access to communications services must go hand in hand with building trust and safety.

Connectivity by itself is not the destination. Connectivity must be meaningful. It must be safe. It must be resilient. Above all, it must be trusted.

UCC’s latest Communications Sector Cybersecurity Posture Report shows some progress. Reported malware infections declined from approximately 1.59 million in 2024 to 1.41 million in 2025. However, the sector’s overall security rating remained within the basic security category, highlighting the need for continued investment and vigilance.

Hon. Joyce Juliet Nabbosa Ssebugwawo who presided as the Guest of Honor, highlighted the need to protect citizens, institutions and services as Uganda becomes increasingly digital. Cybersecurity must therefore be understood in the wider context of national security, economic security, service delivery, public trust and national development. She called for greater responsibility at leadership level, with Boards, Chief Executive Officers, Accounting Officers and senior managers expected to understand the risks facing their institutions and ensure that adequate attention and resources are committed to protecting their systems and information.