Bank of Uganda Governor Michael Atingi-Ego has called for unified cross-sector action to bolster cybersecurity standards and safeguard public confidence in Uganda's expanding digital economy.
The Governor made the remarks during his keynote address, titled “Trust by Design: Building a Cyber-Resilient Digital Economy for Uganda,” at the inaugural National Cybersecurity Conference 2026 held at the Sheraton Kampala Hotel on Tuesday.
The conference was organized by the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) in partnership with the Uganda Computer Emergency Response Team (UgCERT) under the theme “Securing Uganda's Digital Future: Collaboration, Resilience and Trust,” the summit brought together government representatives, regulators, financial institutions, telecommunications operators, technology companies, and security agencies to strengthen national digital resilience.
Governor Atingi-Ego emphasized that digital economic growth requires synchronized progress across finance, technology, and cybersecurity architecture.
“Technology can accelerate transformation,” Governor Atingi-Ego said. “Finance can turn that transformation into investment, production and opportunity. But trust is what allows citizens, businesses and institutions to participate with confidence, and cybersecurity is increasingly the principal means by which that trust is earned and kept.”
Officially opening the conference, the Minister of State for ICT and National Guidance, Hon. Joyce Nabbosa Ssebugwawo, called on government entities, regulators, businesses, financial institutions, and technology providers to step up investment and mutual accountability. She urged corporate boards, accounting officers, and chief executive officers to elevate cybersecurity to top-tier leadership discussions and embed it into institutional risk management frameworks as the nation advances its digital transformation agenda.
Reinforcing the mandate for a unified defense, the Executive Director of the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), Hon. Nyombi Thembo, stressed that cybersecurity must be treated as a collective national responsibility. He emphasized the necessity for real-time information sharing, coordinated incident response, executive-level accountability, investment in local technical skills, and robust consumer protection. He noted that as the country advances toward 'A Connected Uganda 2030,' it must simultaneously ensure 'A Secure Uganda.'
Highlighting the scale of cyber threats facing the country, Governor Atingi-Ego cited Uganda Police Force statistics showing that reported annual cybercrime cases rose from 245 in 2023 to 474 in 2024, before recording 412 cases in 2025. He added that National Information Technology Authority (NITA-U) surveys indicate approximately 40 percent of local small and medium enterprises have experienced cyberattacks.
To counter these emerging vulnerabilities, Governor Atingi-Ego urged public and private entities to transition from isolated institutional security measures to integrated ecosystem resilience. He noted that under the central bank's Cyber and Technology Risk Management Guidelines issued in December 2024, all supervised financial institutions must maintain strict governance and data protection frameworks.
The Governor advocated for three strategic shifts across public agencies, telecommunications, and private enterprise: establishing real-time threat-intelligence sharing networks, shifting focus from regulatory compliance to active scenario testing, and embedding security features into digital products during initial system design rather than post-launch.
