Business & Management
Academicians Retooled on the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA)
By Jane Anyango
Over 30 members of the academia comprising staff and graduate students from Makerere University School of Economics, Muni University and Makerere University Business School on 28th September, 2021 converged for a training on the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA).
The blended seminar held physically and virtually was organized by the Environment for Development Initiative (EfD-Mak) Centre facilitated by the Makerere University don, who is also Research Fellow at the EfD-Mak center and Fulbright Scholar Dr. Nickolas Kilimani.
Dr. Kilimani streamed live from the USA on the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting focusing on the Integrated Water Resources Management, Policy Analysis and Decision making.
Dr. Kilimani highlighted the recent developments in Environmental-Economic Accounting in Uganda, the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting and its objectives, Water resources accounting modules and the role of Water Accounting in Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM).
Dr. Kilimani observed that the national economic policy has been underpinned by macroeconomic theory and the necessary statistics are collected and arranged using the System of National Accounts (SNA) which covers all economic activity from production to consumption and accumulation, and all industries using the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as the key indicator.
He noted that the basic theoretical foundation of the SNA has not changed since 1953 even with the detail that has evolved with technological, economic and social change adding that, for more than 70 years, governments and business have used the information from the SNA as an information source in economic analysis and policy.
“The SNA does not adequately account for the environment and yet economic activity can adversely drive both observed and unobserved changes in it. The System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) aims to address the deficiency of the traditional national accounting (the SNA) by accounting for the environment and linking it to environmental information through common concepts, definitions and classifications” Dr. Kilimani stated.
Compared to the SNA, Kilimani said, the SEEA is not yet widely used in decision making, partly because, it has recently been adopted as an international standard.
Dr. Kilimani said the objectives of SEEA are to develop a consistent data system for economic and environmental data and provide a common system to derive indicators and measure sustainable development.
He explained that the SEEA provides a better measure of national wealth to include not only produced capital but also natural capital, and assesses availability of natural resources, their use in production and final consumption and the cost of depletion. In addition Kilimani said, SEEA assess the level and cost of emissions and other waste from production and consumption and identifies monetary flows related to the environment which are already within the SNA (e.g., expenditures on environmental protection, environmental taxes and subsidies,etc.)
Dr. Kilimani underscored the role of Water Accounting in Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) noting that the growing pressure on water resources and high uncertainty on future water availability have caused the urgent need for better planning and management.
He emphasized that water is not only essential to cover basic needs for humans and the environment that underpins them, it is also a key factor for the economic development of diverse sectors with conflicting interests as regard to its use.
“The IWRM paradigm is considered a good approach to deal with those complexities. It proposes a coordinated utilization of water and land resources to support economic and social development without compromising environmental sustainability.
It recognizes that water management is a key aspect since human intervention is the trigger for all trade-offs and conflicts around water. IWRM highlights the influence of catchment management on water resources quantity and quality, as well as the need to preserve the natural capital for future generations.” He added.
Dr. Kilimani said Water management is considered a social, economic, and political issue rather than just technical and therefore, stakeholder involvement in water management is needed and this translates into legal requirements for public participation and transparency in water governance.
“The value of water, the opportunity costs of its allocation, or the costs of making it available should be known and recognized in order to incentivize water use efficiency. The implementation of those legal requirements calls for making information about water publicly available in a clear and accessible way. In this sense, water accounting emerges as a useful tool to promote efficiency and transparency in water resource planning and management”, Kilimani stated.
The current and proposed framework for IWRM in Uganda
Dr. Kilimani said the existing institutional and policy framework shows the multiple institutions charged with the management of water resources in Uganda, but, there is a need for an explicit connection between water sector policies and those of the social-economic sectors, since water resources are a key input into the country’s economic and social sectors.
“The institutional framework in Uganda, provides for a key component such as Water for Production. Institutions in charge of managing the productive sectors of the economy, i.e., MoFPED, (MAAIF), and the MTTI need to link their development plans and policies with those of the water sector. A sound national water policy should relate the different development plans of the social-economic sectors in an explicit manner”. Kilimani said.
In the (2015) paper, Dr. Kilimani and other researchers proposed a framework for policy analysis which relates the development plans for the different social-economic sectors to those of the water sector.
This framework he said is aimed at providing policy analysis of IWRM in a typical economy by linking e.g., agriculture, industry, households, hydro-electricity and navigation which are key sectors that primarily depend on water.
The don explained that development plans in these sectors involve several policy variables and inputs. Therefore, the interaction between the policy variables and their impacts are monitored through multiple indicators in the social-economic and ecological domains.
“Given the multiplicity of variables, the SEEA framework uses aggregated water data as do the existing approaches for analyzing the associated policy impacts.
Computable general equilibrium (CGE) models also use aggregation and hierarchical decomposition in order to simplify model development and data compression to manageable sizes.
While the aggregation hides some of the temporal and spatial variability, it still preserves the fundamental trends that help to provide needed answers by policy-makers”, Kilimani said.
SEEA, a new area of interest to academicians and the Government of Government
The Director EfD-Mak Center Prof. Edward Bbaale described the seminar as the most exciting because it brought on board a new area which is of interest to the Government of Uganda.
Prof. Bbaale said, Uganda Bureau of Statistics, the National Planning Authority and other partners are trying to work on the system of Environmental-Economic Accounting away from the conventional system of National Accounting.
“Our System of National Accounting is deficient in incorporating Environmental aspects because as we produce and consume, then in one way or another, we are depleting the environment which we refer to as natural capital and this natural capital is all the time depreciating but there is no way in our conventional GDP measurements that, but now, this new system is solution to this”, Prof. Bbaale stated.
From the academic perspective, Prof. Bbaale commended the facilitator for showing participants how to undertake the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting and ably bringing participants on board in terms of the key variables that are important in this new system specific to the water sector.
The Director appreciated Dr. Kilimani for exposing participants to the policy, non-policy and the output variables and giving tips on some methods such as the Computable general equilibrium (CGE) which can be utilized to understand the impact of a policy decision on the rest of the economy in terms of the social, economic and environmental outcome.
“The lesson here is that we need to invest our time into understanding this new System of Environmental-Economic Accounting as a way of incorporating new ventures in our research as economists and academicians. And to our graduate students, this is an area worthy of investing their time and I am glad that a number of graduate students attended this seminar”, Prof. Edward Bbaale said.
Prof. Bbaale said, a number of reports are already out and that SEEA is an area which is very virgin, where very limited research has been undertaken partly because of lack of numbers that incorporate the environment into the entire national analysis.
“But now, some strides have been taken, some milestones are being achieved and if our own, Dr. Nickolas Kilimani with a Fulbright Scholar in the US is having all these on his fingertips, it is a huge resource to Makerere University, to our country and it is a starting point of deeper analysis into how the environment is being affected when we are doing our production and consumption activities”, Prof. Bbaale said.
He reported that the seminar was quite intriguing and important for national policy and pledged to arrange to involve policy makers from the Ministry of Water and Environment and the National Water and Sewerage Corporation in the next seminar.
Participants comment on the seminar
Makerere University PhD student from the School of Economics Alex Aliga, who is also a lecturer at Muni University Uganda said the seminar was timely.
“It has enriched many of the things that I had learnt in class and I had taken for granted. The System of Environment and Economic Analysis though new is very important and interesting because once you begin to understand Natural Resource Accounting and integrate it into GDP, then we get to understand the full value of our resources. In that case, it means that we may actually be richer than what we thought we are. Some of these things are not easy to bring to the GDP which is the measure of our national economy.
I got many lessons; – understanding how you can apply the theoretical things into practical and to influence policy is very important for our country. Given the fact that our resources are under attack, climatic change and environmental issues are real, we need this knowledge so as to be able to sustainably use our resources for a better future”, Mr. Aliga said.
Dr. Paul Edabu, a Senior Lecturer at Muni University said:
“The day’s seminar was an eye opener to the current situation in Uganda bearing in mind that we have two blocks of people who are in accounts and economics and there is no integration even in our ministries.
Our country is at a paradox, today people are restricted to cut trees from the forests and also carrying out farming in the wetlands and the next day, a factory is erected in the wetland. This seminar is timely and something I had yearned to learn because it incorporates the environment as a key resource into the national accounting system”, Dr. Edabu commented.
SEEA and the Government of Uganda
Government of Uganda (GoU) is moving towards resource-led industrialization by developing a set of natural capital accounts under the Uganda Natural Capital Accounting (NCA) program. The National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP), National Development Plan, and Uganda Green Growth Development Strategy (UGGDS) recognize the challenges of development planning without accounting for its effect on natural resources, many of which are non-renewable.
In cognizance of the above, GoU with her development partner UNEP with its World Conservation Monitoring Centre arm is working with the Darwin Initiative to develop Natural Capital Accounts for Uganda.
The project is aligned with existing initiatives on natural capital accounting, i.e., the Gaborone Declaration for Sustainable Development in Africa, the UN project on Natural Capital Accounting, and the World Bank Wealth Accounting and the Valuation of Ecosystem Services programme.
The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) Ministry of Water and Environment, and Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development commenced with the development of land accounts and Water accounts in 2019. Under the NCA program, the country launched the Wood Asset and Forest Resources Accounts.
Natural Capital Accounting effort is based on the international statistical standard, System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA).
Jane Anyango is the Principal Communication Officer, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES)
Makerere University’s Public Investment Management Centre of Excellence has begun a two-week intensive training for government officials aimed at strengthening the analysis of policy and legislative proposals and improving the quality of financial decisions across government.
The training, conducted in partnership with the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, focuses on Integrated Regulatory Cost-Benefit Analysis under the revised Guidelines for Financial Clearance.
Participants drawn from government ministries, departments and agencies are being equipped with practical skills to assess the financial, economic and wider implications of policies, Bills and other proposals before they progress through government decision-making processes.
Opening the training, Mr. Paul Mwanja, Commissioner for Infrastructure and Social Services at the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, said the capacity-building programme comes at an important stage in the implementation of Uganda’s revised financial clearance framework.
He noted that the Certificate of Financial Implications is an important safeguard for ensuring that policy and legislative proposals submitted to Cabinet or Parliament are consistent with government’s fiscal objectives and national development priorities.
“The success of these reforms does not only depend on the strength of the guidelines, but also on the competence and commitment of those who implement them,” Mr. Mwanja said.
The revised Guidelines for Financial Clearance came into effect on 1 July 2025 and introduced stronger institutional and analytical requirements for the consideration of policy and legislative proposals. These include evidence that Regulatory Impact Assessments have been undertaken, preparation of Statements of Financial Implications, consultations within ministries, departments and agencies, and Integrated Regulatory Cost-Benefit Analysis by the Ministry of Finance.
Mr. Mwanja said the training is intended to equip planners, economists and policy analysts with the technical skills and strategic understanding required to apply the framework in practice.
He linked the training to the implementation of the Fourth National Development Plan and the Tenfold Growth Strategy, noting that stronger analysis would help ensure policy proposals are aligned with Uganda’s longer-term development objectives.
“We shall continue investing in systems, gathering feedback and supporting learning to ensure that our public finance architecture remains responsive, efficient and fit for purpose,” he said.
He added that additional officers would be trained in subsequent cohorts as government works to build a critical mass of professionals capable of rigorously assessing policy and legislative proposals.
Building practical analytical capacity
Welcoming participants, Dr. John Sseruyange, Manager of the Public Investment Management Centre of Excellence, emphasised that the training has been designed to move beyond theory and enable participants to independently undertake the analyses required under the new framework.
The two-week programme combines classroom sessions with hands-on practical work. Morning sessions focus on concepts and analytical approaches, while afternoons are devoted to practical exercises and modelling.
Dr. Sseruyange urged participants to view the training not only as an institutional requirement, but also as an opportunity to strengthen their individual analytical capacity.
“Do not think only about helping the entity you have come from. Think about developing your own capacity,” he told participants.
He explained that many of the analytical tools used in examining policies and Bills are also applicable to public investment project analysis, giving participants skills that extend beyond the immediate requirements of the financial clearance guidelines.
The Centre has drawn trainers and technical expertise from Makerere University and government institutions, including the Ministry of Finance and the National Planning Authority, to support both the theoretical and practical components of the programme.
From guidelines to evidence-based decisions
In remarks delivered on his behalf, Prof. Edward Bbaale, Director of the Public Investment Management Centre of Excellence, said the training follows the dissemination of the revised guidelines for the Certificate of Financial Implications in June 2025.
He said the guidelines place increased emphasis on robust, evidence-based Statements of Financial Implications before policy proposals and Bills proceed.
Participants drawn from government ministries, departments and agencies following proceeings at the training
Over the two weeks, participants will develop competencies in risk analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis, analytical modelling and financial modelling, as well as the application of parameters such as prices, exchange rates and discount rates in policy evaluation.
They will also learn how to prepare Statements of Financial Implications to support decision-makers in assessing new policies and legislation.
Prof. Bbaale said these capabilities go beyond fulfilling a procedural requirement.
“These skills are not only technical requirements in the revised guidelines, but they are also essential for ensuring that Uganda’s public policies are sustainable, equitable and aligned with our national development goals,” he said.
He noted that the Public Investment Management Centre of Excellence continues to support government through training, research, outreach and advisory services. Recent work highlighted in his remarks included contributions to the revision of the Development Committee Guidelines, assessment of public investment project performance and convening of the second Public Investment Management Conference on 14 August 2025.
The training forms part of a broader effort to strengthen the analytical capacity available within government so that financial and policy decisions are increasingly informed by evidence, fiscal realities, potential risks and their implications for citizens.
Business & Management
The 10th Makerere University Students Expo: Solar-Powered Innovation Wins Top Prize
On 30th October 2026, the Makerere University Entrepreneurship and Outreach Centre (MakEOC), in collaboration with the Department of Marketing and Management, School of Business at the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS), recognised and awarded outstanding student innovators and entrepreneurs during the 10th Annual Makerere University Students’ Expo.
Held at the Freedom Square under the theme “Youth Innovations to Scale Uganda’s Growth Tenfold,” the expo showcased 900 student-led projects. The initiative focused on transforming youth ingenuity into sustainable enterprises, creating investment opportunities, and driving employment to support Uganda’s national growth agenda.
Solar Innovation Takes Centre Stage
Out of the 900 competing projects, three student enterprises emerged on top, led by a groundbreaking green-energy solution:
• Overall Winner: KIJAY Solar Shelter Innovations Limited (Solar Shelter)-won the top prize for developing the “Solar Breeze Umbrella and a solar-powered structure.” This eco-friendly innovation provides essential shade, ventilation, and lighting tailored for rural schools, outdoor market vendors, and restaurant operators.
• First Runner-Up: Smart Attend Limited-Developed an automated mobile application that tracks classroom attendance by allowing students to log in and out securely under a lecturer’s direct supervision.
• Second Runner-Up: Magic Spoon Enterprise-Innovated “powdered yoghurt” by converting freshly made yoghurt into powder through a freeze-drying process. This project addresses preservation challenges by extending shelf life, easing storage, and removing dependency on refrigeration.
Robust Student Participation
Dr Sarah Bimbona, the Director of MakEOC at CoBAMS, revealed that the Expo marked the culmination of preparations undertaken throughout the semester by entrepreneurship students. “The 10th Edition attracted 900 participants, specifically bringing together 600 undergraduate students and 300 Master of Business Administration (MBA) students. All the submitted projects underwent a rigorous evaluation process,” she reported.
The competitive expo featured innovative solutions from students across multiple academic programmes, including:
- Bachelor of Commerce (Year One)
- Bachelor of Business Administration (Year Two)
- Bachelor of Arts with Education (Entrepreneurship)
- Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Prioritising Entrepreneurship and Innovation
The Dean of the School of Business at CoBAMS, Assoc. Prof. Godfrey Akileng, described the Students’ Expo and Entrepreneurship Congress as highly successful milestones. He urged students to sustain their entrepreneurial spirit, build on their ideas, and actively embrace entrepreneurship to transform their research into viable commercial ventures.
Acknowledging the support of the Makerere University Management and the organising team, Assoc. Prof. Akileng extended his appreciation to corporate partners-including Vision Group, SUMZ, and Pepsi-for their vital contributions toward the successful delivery of both events.
Bridging Academia and Industry
The Students’ Expo directly built upon the momentum of the 4th Uganda – Makerere Entrepreneurship Congress, held a day prior on 29th October 2026. During the congress, students engaged in high-level dialogues with seasoned entrepreneurs, industry experts, and government representatives. The discussions strongly encouraged students to bridge the gap between academic innovation and industry, creating sustainable businesses capable of driving Uganda’s economic transformation and Tenfold Growth Agenda.
Transform Prototypes into Viable Business Ventures
Re-echoing highlights from the discussions at the 4th Uganda – Makerere Entrepreneurship Congress held on 29th October 2026, Dr Jude Mugarura, the Head of the Department of Marketing and Management at CoBAMS, noted that the exhibition provided students with an opportunity to showcase their innovations, and to receive guidance on developing prototypes into viable commercial products and business ventures.
“Take the Expo seriously and remain open to knowledge-sharing and feedback from investors, evaluators, policymakers and other stakeholders,” he said.
Highlights from some of the Student Innovations
- Briquettes production from natural agricultural waste
The Marketing Director of Premium Flames by Legitimate Cookers, Ms. Grace Kyamagero Nakigozi, said the group’s briquette innovation seeks to address charcoal shortages while reducing deforestation.
She explained that the group produces briquettes by mixing clay with processed agricultural waste, including coffee husks, maize cobs and matooke peelings. The mixture is moulded into different shapes and dried under shelter for approximately one week.
Ms. Nakigozi noted that the briquettes provide sustained heat and can be used in restaurants, households and poultry brooding, offering an alternative cooking fuel while promoting environmental conservation through the reuse of agricultural waste.
- The Eco Grow Organic Fertilizer
Presenting the Eco Grow Organic Fertilizer, Mr. Faizal Ssegawa Mugerwa, team leader said the initiative transforms biodegradable waste, particularly vegetable waste, into organic fertiliser to promote sustainable agriculture and create business opportunities.
He explained that the team processes organic waste into compost, supplemented with other organic ingredients to provide essential nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, comparable to conventional NPK fertilisers.
Mr. Mugerwa noted that the innovation reduces waste sent to landfills, helps prevent environmental pollution and creates economic value from discarded organic materials.
- The Campus Survival Kit
Ms. Hope Nakiberu, a first-year Bachelor of Commerce (BCOM) student at CoBAMS and a member of Campus Survival Kit, said the initiative provides students with convenient access to essential supplies through hostel, grocery and study kits.
She explained that the idea addresses challenges faced by students, particularly those arriving from rural areas, in navigating Kampala and finding places to purchase basic necessities. The team therefore offers delivery of essential items directly to students, making campus life more convenient.
The expo also featured student innovators and entrepreneurs pursuing the Bachelor of Arts with Education at the College of Education and External Studies (CEES), who showcased a range of innovations, including Basic Organizers, footwear sandals and Elegant Item Solution, among others.
Moderated by Ms Yvone Nakungu and Ms Connic Nansubuga, students at the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS), the 10th Makerere University Students’ Expo concluded with a cake-cutting ceremony, marking a decade of promoting entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation among Makerere University students.
Business & Management
Makerere Entrepreneurship Congress Rallies Youth Behind Uganda’s ‘Tenfold Growth’Plan
Makerere University has convened its 4th Entrepreneurship Congress, positioning youth innovation at the absolute center of Uganda’s ambitious Tenfold Growth Strategy.
The long-term economic framework aims to skyrocket the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from roughly US$50 billion to US$500 billion by 2040. According to the National Planning Authority (NPA), the strategy relies heavily on four primary growth pillars known as ATMS: Agro-Industrialization; Tourism; Mineral-Based Industrialization (including Oil and Gas); and Science, Technology, ICT, and Innovation.
With over 70% of Uganda’s population under the age of 30, the youth are widely seen as the engine behind this economic transformation.
To harness this potential, the 29th October, event brought together students, entrepreneurs, industry experts, and government officials at the Makerere Uiversity Yusuf Lule Central Teaching Facility Auditorium. Running under the theme “Youth Innovations to Scale Uganda’s Growth Tenfold,” the congress focused on building strategic partnerships, boosting commercialization, and equipping young innovators to build sustainable businesses.
The event was organized by the Makerere University Entrepreneurship and Outreach Centre, alongside the Department of Marketing and Management under the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS).
Hon. Kasigwa Gerald (MP for Kigorobya County) attended as the Chief Guest. The keynote address was delivered by Dr. Cosmas Mwikirize, Superintendent of Industrial Value Chains Development at the Science, Technology, and Innovation Secretariat in the Office of the President.
Leadership Applauds Partnership
Representing the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, and the CoBAMS Principal, Prof. Edward Bbaale, the College Deputy Principal, Associate Professor James Wokadala, commended the School of Business and the Makerere University Entrepreneurship and Outreach Centre (MakEOC) for strengthening university partnerships.
Noting that the MakEOC was concurrently hosting the 10th Students’ Entrepreneurship and Innovation Expo, he praised the Centre for sustaining the initiative over the past decade.
Assoc. Prof. Wokadala stressed the need for deeper collaboration to drive youth innovation and national economic transformation. He urged students to focus on developing practical, commercial solutions.
Call to Private Sector
Underscoring the value of collaboration, he acknowledged the Vision Group, Pepsi-Crown Beverages Uganda Limited, and Sumzi-Psalms Food Industries Limited for supporting the 4th Uganda-Makerere Entrepreneurship Congress.
For long-term sustainability, he called upon the business community, private sector, and industry leaders to work closely with the MakEOC.
He emphasized that private sector partners are vital for providing the mentorship, incubation facilities, and market access needed to help young entrepreneurs grow businesses, create jobs, and promote self-reliance.
Turn Innovations into Businesses
The Keynote Speaker, Dr. Cosmas Mwikirize, Superintendent of Industrial Value Chains Development at the Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) Secretariat, urged students to use entrepreneurship to generate jobs and fuel national development.
Drawing on Uganda’s electric vehicle innovation journey, Dr. Mwikirize emphasized the importance of perseverance. He urged young innovators to challenge conventional thinking and ignore skeptics who doubt their ideas.
Achieving Uganda’s Tenfold Growth Strategy requires sustained economic growth driven by science, technology, innovation, and industrialization, he noted. To guide them, he challenged student entrepreneurs to adopt six core principles hidden within the acronym TENFOLD:
- Trouble: Identify real-world problems and develop practical solutions.
- Evidence: Prove that your innovations work to convince customers.
- Numbers: Understand your business figures beyond the daily hustle.
- Others: Build strong networks, teams, and strategic partnerships.
- Long Game: Recognize that genuine business success takes time.
- Discipline: Deliver on your promises with honesty and unwavering integrity.
Embrace Flexibility and Patriotism
Hon. Kasigwa Gerald, Member of Parliament for Kigorobya County, encouraged the students to remain flexible and look for opportunities outside their primary fields of study.
“Flexibility and a willingness to learn are essential for navigating a rapidly changing job market,” Hon. Kasigwa noted.
Underscoring the values of honesty, patriotism, and commitment, the legislator appealed to the youth to cultivate strong ethical foundations as they build their enterprises. He implored them to prepare for their roles in Uganda’s future through deliberate planning, continuous self-improvement, and hard work.
Champion the Commercialization of Innovations
The Dean of the School of Business, Associate Professor Godfrey Akileng, highlighted the vital role of entrepreneurship education in equipping students with real-world business skills. He encouraged them to cross-pollinate ideas, learn from industry experts, and build networks to successfully commercialize their research.
Prioritise Students’ Innovation
Commending the University Management and partners for their continued support, Assoc. Prof. Akileng invited participants to the upcoming Students’ Entrepreneurship Expo at Freedom Square, urging the youth to transform raw ideas into sustainable enterprises.
Dr Jude Mugarura, Head of the Department of Marketing and Management, reiterated the urgency of this educational shift.
“Entrepreneurship offers an opportunity to strengthen partnerships, promote wealth creation, and advance Uganda’s economic transformation and self-reliance,” Dr Mugarura said.
He called on government agencies and private-sector partners to step up with funding, regulatory guidance, incubation facilities, and market access. He noted that the upcoming Expo at Freedom Square would showcase breakthroughs in agriculture, technology, healthcare, and sustainable business models.
Fostering a Culture of Innovation
Dr. Sarah Bimbona, Director of the Makerere University Entrepreneurship and Outreach Centre (MakEOC), noted that the congress serves as a bridge connecting students directly with established industry titans and government regulators.
She emphasized that Makerere must nurture an internal culture where students graduate with viable businesses rather than just job applications.
“Every student from Makerere University should leave the university with an idea, a company, or an innovation that is going to help them transform their lives,” Dr. Bimbona stated.
She called for the creation of dedicated, well-equipped campus innovation spaces to help students transition their conceptual models into sustainable, job-creating enterprises.
Turning Ideas into Viable Businesses
A major highlight of the congress was a high-level panel discussion, moderated by Dr. Sarah Bimbona, which focused on transforming raw concepts into market-ready ventures capable of attracting customers, investments, and strategic partners.
The panel brought together key experts from finance, media, tech, and regulation, including:
- Mr. Hannington Musimenta, Manager of Programme Development at Uganda Development Bank (UDB)
- Ms. Lorraine Tukahirwa, Head of Marketing and Communications at Vision Group
- Mr. Boris Mugisha, Co-founder and Head of Operations at Tubayo
- Mr. Ronald Tumuhairwe, Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA)
The panelists collectively underscored that generating a brilliant idea is only the first step. To survive, entrepreneurs must pivot toward building business models grounded in real market demand, strict financial discipline, and deep customer trust.
Rather than waiting for massive capital, the experts encouraged aspiring youth entrepreneurs to start with manageable operations, maintain impeccable financial records, and seek institutional mentorship to scale sustainably based on proven performance.
Youth-Driven Innovation
Sharing her personal entrepreneurship journey, Ms. Devin Ester Ambayo, a student leader and entrepreneur at Makerere University, encouraged her peers to look closely at local problems and transform them into sustainable business opportunities.
She applauded CoBAMS for organizing the congress, noting that the event provides a vital platform for students to build confidence, master pitching skills, and network directly with seasoned industry figures.
The 4th Entrepreneurship Congress was moderated by Dr. Kasimu Ssendawula, a faculty member at CoBAMS, who was assisted by student co-moderators Ms. Yvonne Nakungu and Ms. Connie Nansubuga.
Precursor to the 10th Annual Students’ Expo
The successful conclusion of the 4th Uganda-Makerere Entrepreneurship Congress lays fertile ground for the 10th Annual Makerere University Students’ Entrepreneurship and Innovation Expo, scheduled for 30th October 2026 at the Freedom Square.
Running from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, the landmark expo provides a massive platform for over 900 students to showcase their entrepreneurial and innovation potential.
The student exhibitors and young entrepreneurs are drawn from the following academic programmes across the university, including:
- Bachelor of Commerce (Year 1)
- Bachelor of Business Administration (Year 2)
- Bachelor of Arts with Education (Entrepreneurship)
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