Finance Minister Urges Airtel Uganda to Prioritize Secure Digital Infrastructure

What the report says

Watchdog Uganda reported that State Minister for Finance (General Duties) Henry Musasizi urged Airtel Uganda to keep investing in secure and up-to-date digital infrastructure as Uganda pursues broader digital transformation. The remarks were made in Kampala during a courtesy visit to the Ministry headquarters by Airtel Uganda’s newly appointed chief executive officer and managing director, Soumendra Sahu. The article was published under a July 30, 2026 URL.

According to the report, Musasizi congratulated Sahu on his new role and praised Airtel Uganda’s contribution to the economy, citing the expansion of reliable telecom services, investment in fibre-optic infrastructure, employment creation and tax contributions. He also said cooperation between government and the private sector remains important for widening digital services, creating jobs and supporting domestic revenue.

Watchdog Uganda said Sahu thanked the government for its support and restated Airtel’s focus on digital inclusion. He pointed to corporate social responsibility programmes that include free internet access for about 200 schools across the country, full annual sponsorship for 20 university students with equal gender representation, and graduate training intended to help young people move into work.

The meeting also touched on smartphone taxation and Uganda’s developing local smartphone assembly industry. The report said Moses Kaggwa, the director of economic affairs, stressed the need to protect local manufacturers. The discussion matters because telecom investment, device affordability, cyber-resilient systems and local manufacturing policy all affect how quickly more Ugandans can access digital services and participate in the digital economy.