Uganda’s Ministry of ICT and National Guidance recently launched the Uganda ICT Intellectual Property (IP) Guidelines, a crucial step towards fostering a thriving innovation ecosystem in the country.
The event, held on February 14, 2025, marked a significant milestone in Uganda’s journey to protect intellectual property rights and promote innovation.
“As we all know, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is a critical driver of economic growth and social development. Uganda has a vibrant and growing ICT sector, brimming with talented innovators and entrepreneurs,” said Dr. Aminah Zawedde, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance.
However, the Permanent Secretary emphasised that “innovation without protection is vulnerable.”
The ministry, in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and other key stakeholders, developed the ICT IP Guidelines to provide a clear roadmap for navigating the complexities of intellectual property rights.
The guidelines are built upon five key objectives:
– “To ignite a spark of innovation and invention in ICT solutions, encouraging both original creations and adaptations from external sources.”
– “To promote adherence to best practices and standards in ICT solutions, ensuring quality and reliability for both locally developed and adapted technologies.”
– “To facilitate the use of shared infrastructure and services provided by the Ministry to regulate innovations and inventions, covering both domestic and transferred technologies.”
– “To safeguard the intellectual property rights of our innovators and inventors, ensuring they are protected whether they are creating something entirely new or adapting and adopting foreign technologies.”
– “To unlock the potential for commercialisation, enabling innovators to generate income from their IP and contribute to the growth of our economy.”
“These guidelines apply to everyone developing innovations and applications for the government and the public, especially those who have received support from the MoICT&NG,” added the Permanent Secretary.
These guidelines apply to everyone developing innovations and applications for the government and the public, especially those who have received support from the MoICT&NG,
Dr. Aminah Zawedde, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance.
The ICT IP Guidelines will provide a clear roadmap for navigating the complexities of intellectual property rights.
The ministry plans to host similar workshops in other regions to ensure that every Ugandan innovator has access to this critical information.
“We believe that by equipping our innovators with the knowledge and tools they need to protect their IP, we are not just protecting their creations; we are investing in the future of Uganda,” concluded the Permanent Secretary.
The Ministry of ICT and National Guidance remains committed to creating an enabling environment for innovation and growth in the ICT sector, working together to build a brighter future for the nation.
