OTIC Foundation CEO Nesta Paul Katende. PHOTO/ILLUSTRATION
AI is the buzzword of the moment—a dazzling concept that promises to revolutionise everything from how we work to how we think. In boardrooms of companies and tech hubs across the globe, names like ChatGPT and Nvidia are heralded as harbingers of a new era. But what about Uganda? While the world marvels at AI’s transformative power, we find ourselves asking: Is this cutting-edge technology just another distant echo, or is it a game changer that’s ready to shake up our local landscape?
Mr Nesta Paul Katende, a tech savvy chief executive in Uganda, and I had a conversation last week in Kampala during which he shared his thoughts on the situation.
“Back then, a tiny fraction of people had landlines or bank accounts,” he said, his eyes lighting up with enthusiasm. “But now, thanks to mobile technology, farmers can access timely advice on pests and weather conditions, and the unbanked can send and receive mobile money. It’s a remarkable leap, isn’t it?”
Yet, as we shifted our focus to the present, I couldn’t help but wonder: as we step into the age of artificial intelligence (AI), is Uganda ready to seize the opportunities it presents? Mr Katende’s response was both insightful and concerning. He believes that AI has the potential to significantly boost productivity and help countries like Uganda overcome shortages of skilled teachers and doctors.
“But while opportunity beckons, Africa appears to be falling behind,” he cautioned.
There is already evidence to this. PricewaterhouseCoopers, a business audit and advisory firm estimates that AI could add almost $16 trillion to global economic output by 2030. Africa, which accounts for around 17 percent of the world’s population, however looks likely to see only a $400 million boost to its gross domestic product (GDP) by that time.
Instead of narrowing the income gap between us and the richer countries, AI seems set to widen it, that paper argues, a stark reality that left me pondering the implications for Uganda’s future in the digital economy. Determined to change this narrative, Mr Katende founded the Otic Foundation, with an ambitious goal of training one million Ugandans in AI by 2030.
“We want to raise awareness that AI is an industrial revolution, not just a technology or something like ChatGPT,” he explained passionately. “It’s revolutionising work and commerce, much like the first industrial revolution did with steam engines and electricity. We’re on the brink of a major shift, and we can’t afford to miss out.”
AI’s demands
Yet, as we delved deeper into the challenges ahead, I realised just how daunting the task is.
“Building the necessary infrastructure requires good policies, funding, skilled personnel, and reliable facilities,” Mr Katende noted, his expression growing serious.
“You need a lot of electricity to create localised AI systems, supercomputers, and investments. If we don’t have local data centres, we risk creating products that don’t meet Ugandans’ needs.”
It’s a significant challenge. Uganda currently lacks a national data centre, although there are plans underway to change that. The government recently agreed to a deal with the Export-Import Bank of China for ¥1 billion ($146.7 million) to establish secure national infrastructure.
“It’s a start,” he said, but I could sense his frustration. “We need to move faster. Without local data centers, we’re stuck relying on distant ones in cities like California.”
As we discussed the technical aspects, Mr Katende explained the immense energy demands that come with AI.
“AI requires complex calculations, and a rack of servers designed for AI can use up to 14 times more electricity than a normal rack,” he shared.
“Then there’s the cooling systems we need, especially in our hot climate, which adds to the energy burden.” His concern was palpable as he described the implications of this energy requirement on the overall infrastructure development.
Despite these hurdles, he remains optimistic about the future.
“We’re making strides,” he assured me. His organisation, though young and still finding its footing, is leveraging opportunities at the National ICT Innovation Hub in Nakawa.
“We’re getting support, but we need more,” he added, emphasising the importance of collaboration among various stakeholders.
Captive intensive venture
People like him are not many in Uganda but their ambition is quite ambitious and fascinating, just the way the mobile revolution happened. It successfully disrupted incumbent operators and has ultimately created a unique digital landscape.
For example, information gleaned from the financial filings of big telcos in Uganda like MTN and Airtel reveals that they are working extremely hard to increase their profits as their business models evolve. MTN is already morphing into a technology company after a strong deal with Microsoft. This whole process is capital intensive because even the way data is transmitted today needs utmost efficiency, something that these telecoms are struggling to cope up with, which entails covering 90 percent of the country with internet coverage.
The problem here mostly lies in constructing the infrastructure required for high-speed fibre-optic broadband which is also extremely capital intensive as well with returns reaped in the long run.
If they do succeed in this endeavour, that helps the whole ecosystem of technology, financial inclusion, development and private sector growth and allow organisations like Otic realise their goals.
“We’ve signed a memorandum of understanding with W3Schools, which is a leading platform for learning web development,” he said with pride. “Additionally, we’re partnering with the Data Science AI Network for a 10-week AI training programme, and just recently, we graduated 200 students! This is just the beginning.”
I was impressed by the scope of their efforts, and Mr Katende elaborated on the crucial role of advocacy in their mission. He works closely with the US Mission Uganda to hold monthly discussions focused on AI. “We need to bring the private and public sectors together,” he emphasized. “Even if we talk about policy, it’s irrelevant without frameworks that implement these policies.”
Sunbird AI
Interestingly, Mr Katende isn’t alone in this endeavour. There is someone called Ernest Mwebaze, founder of Sunbird AI, a nonprofit organisation dedicated to developing AI systems for social impact in Africa.
He started his organisation five years ago, well before ChatGPT became a household name. Sunbird AI focuses on creating open-source applications that use data technology to improve citizen well-being. Some of Sunbird AI's projects include working with the Entebbe City Authority and Kampala City Council Authority to collect data on noise and sound pressure levels in Kampala. The goal is to create real-time data on noise that can be used for planning and mitigation.
Sunbird AI has also trained a text-to-speech (TTS) model for Luganda, the widely used language in Uganda, using crowd sourced data from Common Voice, an initiative to help teach machines how real people speak. This is the only existing TTS model for any Ugandan language that is freely available.
Mr Mwebaze, however, says that “without a clear AI policy, there’s uncertainty for entrepreneurs, and innovation can stagnate.”
This highlights a significant gap in Uganda’s approach to harnessing AI effectively. Both Mr Katende and Mr Mwebaze recognise the complexities involved in creating a regulatory framework in such a dynamic field. “There’s a trade-off between having severe regulations and allowing innovation to flourish,” Mr Mwebaze explained while at Uganda's Deep Tech Summit early October.
“We need to figure out where the boundaries are, especially regarding data privacy and the ethics of building these AI models,” he said then.
Mr Katende echoed this sentiment, stressing the importance of cultivating a skilled population before diving into policy-making and product development.
“We’ve trained 1,200 Ugandans in AI so far,” he stated, his determination evident. “But we also need the government to provide the necessary infrastructure and regulated frameworks to support this growth.”
AI adoption strategy
As our conversation drew to a close, Mr Katende reflected on Uganda’s AI adoption strategy.
“It’s in the works, but we’re long overdue for this discussion,” he lamented, adding, “According to Oxford Insights, Uganda’s AI awareness index is around 35.5 percent, which is below the African average. We simply aren’t ready in terms of infrastructure and data.”
In August, the African Union (AU) Executive Council approved the "Continental Artificial Intelligence Strategy," aimed at promoting AI use across Africa to drive economic growth and enhance living standards. The strategy, endorsed by ICT and Communications Ministers in June after extensive consultations in Accra, Ghana, outlines steps to integrate AI into various sectors, develop necessary hardware and software, and establish governance frameworks.
It aligns with the AU’s Agenda 2063 and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals while encouraging private sector involvement, the growth of AI startups, and the development of high-quality data sets.
Implementation will occur in two phases: the first from 2025 to 2026 will focus on governance and resource mobilisation, while the second from 2027 to 2030 will prioritise key AI projects. Some countries, like Algeria, Egypt, and Rwanda, already have AI strategies in place, with others working to integrate AI with emerging technologies.
As these developments come up, Uganda has already gotten some other startups already leveraging AI to create innovative solutions like Jaguza, which uses microchips to monitor livestock, and Laboremus, which offers software solutions for banks.
“While it’s encouraging to see all these AI solutions emerging, we shouldn’t overlook the importance of the profits,” said Arthur Mukembo, the Team Lead at FutureLab Studio, in a separate conversation told this reporter that to have these firms thrill.
“Most top tech companies struggle to hit $100 million in revenue, which reflects the tough landscape we’re navigating,” he said.
As we parted ways with Mr Katende, it became clear to me that before Uganda can fully embrace AI, significant investments in research, development, and infrastructure are essential.
“If we want to reap the benefits of this technology, we must build the skills and business models to support it,” Mr Mukembo warned, adding, “Otherwise, we risk developing technologies that don’t yield the returns we anticipate.”
The journey to harnessing AI in Uganda is complex and multifaceted. Still, with the passion and dedication of individuals like Mr Katende and Mr Mwebaze, there is hope for a future where Uganda not only participates in the AI revolution but thrives within it.
