Government launches five-year data strategy ahead of AI adoption – Daily Monitor
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Officials from the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance sign on the board as they launched a five-year National Data Strategy. PHOTO/ KARIM MUYOBO
By KARIM MUYOBO
Reporter
Monitor
The Ministry of ICT and National Guidance has launched a five-year National Data Strategy designed to overhaul how government institutions collect, store, and share information, laying the groundwork for Uganda’s upcoming National AI Strategy.
The new roadmap seeks to eliminate fragmented data systems, curb wasteful duplication, and enhance the quality of information used for public sector planning and service delivery across the country.
Speaking at the launch, Dr Aminah Zawedde, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, emphasized that dependable and accessible data is essential for informed decision-making and the ethical deployment of emerging technologies.
“Artificial intelligence depends on the quality of the data used to develop and operate it. Getting data governance and responsible use right will help Uganda make better use of these technologies,” Dr Zawedde said.
Modern AI systems, including tools like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Microsoft Copilot, rely heavily on high-quality input to analyze information and identify patterns. Incomplete, outdated, or conflicting records risk producing misleading conclusions, making standardized data collection a national priority.
According to government officials, the strategy will enable state agencies to rely on accurate data when identifying communities in urgent need of infrastructure—such as schools, health facilities, and roads—as well as forecasting demand for essential medicines.
This infrastructure becomes increasingly vital following Uganda’s 2024 National Population and Housing Census, which recorded the country’s population at 45.9 million people. Maximizing the impact of such demographic records requires seamless access across public agencies.
To address current inefficiencies, Dr Zawedde urged public entities to streamline data collection processes to ensure accuracy at the source.
“We need to have points where data is collected once, and that data is correct and free of errors, so that anybody who wants to take any planning decisions around it finds that it is reliable data,” she stated.
Historically, public bodies—including the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA), and the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control (DCIC)—have operated isolated databases with varying standards. This lack of integration has repeatedly forced citizens and agencies to submit duplicate records.
The strategy’s baseline survey reveals that Uganda currently possesses data for only 36 per cent of the indicators outlined in the Fourth National Development Plan (NDP IV). The new policy aims to raise this figure to 80 per cent within five years.
Structured around three central pillars—data governance, data infrastructure, and strategic data use—the plan outlines capital investments in modern data centers, processing systems, and analytical software, alongside capacity building for public servants in data management and visualization.
Dr Zawedde called on accounting officers and institutional heads to integrate the roadmap directly into their operational budgets to ensure citizens feel the practical benefits.
“As accounting officers and institutional leaders, we must connect the Strategy to our plans and budgets. Our measure of success must be the improvements people experience: fewer repeated requests for information, better-connected services and decisions that respond to their needs,” she added.
As inter-agency data sharing expands and AI adoption accelerates, the strategy incorporates safeguards to protect citizens’ personal information from privacy breaches.
It establishes clear guidelines on how personal records should be gathered, processed, stored, and shared, distinguishing between public records and confidential files. The framework also mandates data anonymisation and pseudonymisation techniques in alignment with the Data Protection and Privacy Act, 2019.
Ms Joyce Nabbosa Ssebugwawo, the Minister of State for ICT and National Guidance (Information), highlighted that robust data management relies heavily on public trust and privacy rights.
“Citizens need to understand how data is collected and used, why data protection matters and how reliable information contributes to accountability and development. The media also has an important role in promoting informed public debate through credible evidence,” Ms Ssebugwawo said.
The strategy builds upon Uganda’s Digital Transformation Roadmap (2023/24–2027/28) and aligns with the African Union Data Policy Framework endorsed in 2022. With this launch, Uganda joins African peers such as Nigeria, Senegal, and Mauritius in establishing a comprehensive national data policy.
Implementation will be overseen by the National Data Steering Committee and the National Data Office, working alongside designated data focal points across various government institutions.
The initiative was developed with technical support from UN Global Pulse Uganda and scaling assistance from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
UNDP Resident Representative Ms Nwanneakolam Vwede-Obahor stressed that the ultimate test of the framework lies in its execution.
“A good strategy does not implement itself. Its success will depend on what happens after today’s launch,” Ms Vwede-Obahor noted.
Echoing these remarks, Dr Martin Mubangizi, Head of Office at UN Global Pulse Uganda, advised the government to demonstrate immediate value through targeted pilot projects.
“Implementation should start with practical use cases: take a real programme or development challenge, demonstrate how better use of data improves decisions and outcomes, learn from the experience, and apply those lessons elsewhere,” Dr Mubangizi said.
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