As Africa’s digital economy expands, fintechs are moving beyond payments to build the trust infrastructure that makes cross-border trade, investment and financial inclusion possible. SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | Africa has spent the past decade building the infrastructure to move money digitally. The next phase is focused on making …
Read More »MUSENERO: Oil wealth must drive industrial growth
Kampala, Uganda | URN | As Uganda moves closer to commercial oil production, Energy and Mineral Development Minister Dr. Monica Musenero Masanza has challenged the country to look beyond oil revenues and focus on using the sector to build industries, create jobs and transform the economy. Speaking at the Uganda …
Read More »FIRST OIL AND BEYOND: The road to a US$500 Billion Economy
COMMENT | ALI SSEKATAWA | When President Yoweri Museveni met the Uganda Cranes team following their exit from the AFCON 2025 campaign, he drew on his military experience to deliver a lesson that transcended football. He reminded the players that every force has an Area of Responsibility (AOR) …
Read More »Uganda’s business rebounds, but fragile
Businesses are still struggling with higher costs caused by global events, including renewed conflict in the Middle East, which has disrupted energy markets and pushed up fuel prices Kampala, Uganda | JULIUS BUSINGE | Ugandan businesses are feeling more confident about the months ahead, but rising fuel prices, …
Read More »Safaricom acquisition turns fintech into Vodacom’s biggest growth engine
Taking control of Safaricom is accelerating Vodacom’s shift from a traditional telecommunications operator into a digital financial services business powered by M-PESA. SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | South Africa-headquartered Vodacom is entering its biggest strategic reset in decades after taking control of Safaricom, the Kenyan telecommunications …
Read More »MTN, partners to strengthen maternal and newborn care
Public private partnerships accelerate maternal healthcare access across Uganda’s underserved communities Kampala, Uganda | JULIUS BUSINGE | MTN Uganda has launched the 2026 edition of its annual 21 Days of Y’ello Care campaign, committing employee volunteers, digital technology and strategic partnerships to improve maternal and newborn healthcare in …
Read More »TECNO pushes smartphone design towards a true zero-bezel display
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Smartphone makers have spent years shrinking the borders around displays, but TECNO says it is attempting to eliminate them altogether with a new concept phone designed around a true 0mm screen border. The Chinese smartphone manufacturer has teased the TECNO Next-Gen Bezelless Concept Phone, a …
Read More »Rwanda closes 8 liquor firms as campaign against alcohol abuse intensifies
KIGALI | Xinhua | The Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority (Rwanda FDA) announced Sunday that it has shut down eight liquor factories “in the interest of public health,” as the government intensifies efforts to curb alcohol abuse, particularly among young people. In a notice addressed to manufacturers, distributors, retailers and …
Read More »Housing Finance Bank brings homeownership dream to life at Retrowave
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The third edition of Retrowave at Akright City on Saturday (Aug.1) was a night of timeless music, nostalgia and unforgettable moments, but it also carried a message that reached far beyond the dance floor. As the event’s Platinum Sponsor, Housing Finance Bank (HFB) invited revellers …
Read More »Roe & Co joins Kampala’s evolving whiskey culture
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | At Shisa Nyama Village in Bugolobi, Thursday evening began with whiskey but quickly became about something broader: food, cocktails, music and the social rituals increasingly shaping Kampala’s drinking culture. At one table, guests listened as a brand ambassador explained what to look for before …
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