KAMPALA, Uganda – The 6th Business Trendsetters Forum and Awards Gala, which concluded Thursday at the Sheraton Kampala hotel, put a spotlight on artificial intelligence (AI) and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles as key drivers for Uganda’s future economic growth. The event gathered business leaders and entrepreneurs to delve into the country’s innovation landscape.
The forum, themed “Innovations with Hyper Business Intelligence & Environmental Social Governance,” underscored the critical need for exemplary knowledge acquisition, responsible big data utilization, and ethical leadership, with a strong emphasis on the intersection of AI and sustainable practices.
The Hon. G. Nyombi Thembo, executive director of the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) and recipient of the 2025 Public Sector Business Trendsetters’ Award, encouraged delegates to leverage information and knowledge for business growth. He highlighted Uganda’s digital advancements, noting “Uganda now boasts of 45 million SIM cards in circulation and a remarkable 65 percent internet penetration. We proudly say the telecom sub-sector is touching every aspect of life.” Thembo affirmed UCC’s evolving role, stating, “We are changing from a regulator who enforced to a regulator who facilitates innovation and business because enforcing suffocates the industry. We have to be innovative and make telecommunication affordable.”
During the event, the 2024-2025 Business Trendsetters, identified by the public and selected by Business Trends Galore, were recognized. Thembo received the 2024-2025 Business Trendsetter Public Sector award. Dr. Lilly Ajarova was honored as the 2023-2024-2025 Trends Hero. Martin Oscar Kintu, a celebrated playwright, was recognized for his impactful educative radio plays. Marvin Musoke, Edrean Paul, and their team were lauded for professionalizing productions under their “FRAME the Beat” invention.
Additional 2024-2025 award recipients included those whose work aligned with technological advancement and societal impact:
- Business Trendsetter – Private Sector:
- Prof. Lawrence Muganga for innovations in academia and “Bringing the future to education.”
- Kalibbala James (ECS), recognized as the first Indigenous manufacturer of Transformers.
- Felix Kitaka Mutambuze for founding the first LugandaGPT, an AI in local languages, directly highlighting the growth of AI in local contexts.
- Business Trendsetter – Public Sector:
- G. W Thembo Nyombi for innovations in communications legislation for inclusivity.
- Ibrahim Kaddunabbi, managing director of IRA, for revolutionizing insurance and assurance policies for the agricultural sector.
- Dr. Aminah Zawedde, permanent secretary of ICT & National Guidance, for ICT’s involvement in Inclusive Finance and Financial Inclusion.
- Business Trendsetter – Youth:
- Marvin Musoke for the ideation of FRAME THE BEAT.
- David Jolly Muganzi, a doctor with MINDSET evangelism.
- Business Trendsetter – Trends Hero:
- Dr. Lilly Ajarova, senior presidential adviser on Tourism.
- Mr. Sunrise Xie, managing director of Huawei, for Huawei’s role in Localized Digital Transformation, reflecting the importance of technology in development.
- Business Trendsetter – Lifetime Achievement:
- Livingstone Mukasa for establishing the first public-facing Retirement benefits scheme and setting a pace in the region.
- Martin Oscar Kintu, playwright and radio personality, for his historical role in developing impactful social education-edutainment.
- Kasole Bwelele for transforming private primary education through Kampala Parents School.
Joan Mukasa Menya, the first female managing director of Vivo Energy Uganda, provided insightful perspectives on effective leadership and continuous development. “Leaders must equip themselves with knowledge and strong commitment. Continuous learning and education are vital for effective leadership,” Menya asserted, sharing her own experience of learning IT when transitioning to a tech-savvy team. She stressed the importance of leaders grasping various organizational functions, engaging in day-to-day activities to identify hiccups, and critically, mentoring upcoming leaders. “Sharing knowledge prevents valuable insights from being lost. Leadership involves nurturing the next generation,” Menya said, adding, “Many times we are many things we don’t know we are until we step into a certain environment. You should know that there is no excuse if you are a leader and you don’t know. The team you lead expects you to know and have answers.” She concluded with a powerful message on the value of shared knowledge: “People die with knowledge… If information you have doesn’t help you generate insights for growth then you don’t need it.”
Pacesetter Joseph Kitamirike, co-founder of ALTX Africa, which he described as disruptors of the investment financing sector, shifted focus to practical business growth strategies. “We need to focus on where we can get profits and earn more than spend to grow,” Kitamirike advised. He emphasized the importance of precise customer profiling and targeted marketing in the digital age. “Every day we spend time and focus on expanding by getting more customers, which means marketing. You need to profile the person you are looking for and target them. With a proper profile, you can target better, especially if you are using digital tools.”
Emmanuel Kirunda, commercial director at Olsights, a clean tech energy startup based in London, offered a compelling perspective on transforming data into actionable insights through “Hyper Business Intelligence.” “Organizations today are drowning in data but starving for insights. There is no shortage of information but decision-makers are struggling to extract value from data,” Kirunda stated. He explained that Olsights empowers “smarter, faster decisions at the intersection of electricity networks in energy infrastructure” by fusing diverse data — from land use and environmental data to grid capacity and regulations — into a dynamic visual decision engine. Kirunda also critically addressed the role of ESG, urging a move beyond mere “box-ticking.” “Merely reporting emissions is no longer enough… the sustainable businesses of the future must demonstrate real-world impact,” he asserted, noting that Olsights achieves this by enabling more efficient infrastructure investment. Crucially, he challenged African innovators: “If you are solving real customer pinpoints in Africa through digital innovation, don’t limit your ambition. Look for global markets where your solutions may already have demand.”
Pacesetter Dr. Abraham Nalwebe, a court mediator and arbitrator at Makindye Magistrate Court who transitioned from technical engineering to paralegal, brought the focus back to the individual leader and social embracement of ESG. He stressed that “Leadership begins at Individual level and before you can effectively manage others, you must first learn to manage yourself.” He discussed social governance strategies such as human rights, community engagement with diversity, equity and inclusion. He highlighted key principles for effective leadership: respect for colleagues, community, customers, and superiors, alongside fostering strong relationships within the business environment. “Embracing the local community is vital; doing so enhances your social capital and can lead to increased support for your business.”
Dr. Lilly Ajarova, senior presidential adviser on tourism and the 2023-2024-2025 Business Trends Hero, upon recognition, encouraged CEOs, business leaders, and entrepreneurs to read her book, “Echoes from Mountain of the moon; A mountaineers journey to Margareta peak,” which exemplifies local tourism and resilience in all spheres of life.
Jonathan Light, a mastery consultant, leadership and business strategist, and life development coach, delivered a potent call to action. “The future of business belongs to those who not only innovate but also take responsibility for the environments they create,” he urged. Light challenged attendees to move beyond superficial growth: “Let us stop building faster than we can sustain and start governing our businesses with the discipline of purpose, impact, and integrity.” He encouraged a deep reassessment of internal ecosystems: “Is it worthy of the future you’re aiming for? Don’t just scale your footprint, deepen your dent.”
Yvonne Mpanga, the executive director and founder of The Business Trendsetters Forum, articulated the forum’s overarching vision. “Our theme for this year’s forum is particularly potent and timely: ‘Innovations with Hyper Business Intelligence & Environmental Social Governance’,” Mpanga stated. She emphasized innovation as “the very lifeblood of progress,” and defined Hyper Business Intelligence as the “compass” for navigating a data-rich world, enabling smarter, faster, and more informed decisions. Mpanga reiterated that ESG is no longer a “peripheral concern” but “the fundamental framework for responsible, sustainable, and ethical growth.”
The 6th Business Trendsetters Forum served as a vital platform for dialogue, fostering insights and strategies essential for navigating Uganda’s dynamic business landscape through innovation, (hyper) business intelligence, and responsible practices. The event concluded with an awards ceremony, recognizing outstanding leaders and businesses driving innovation and sustainable practices in Uganda.
