By Michael Mukasa, Chief Executive Officer, Liquid Intelligent Technologies Uganda
Uganda’s Digital Transformation Roadmap, launched in late 2023, sets a clear course for the country’s journey towards a digital future where technology and innovation work hand-in-hand.
As the country continues to embrace this journey, it has become clear that robust, cloud-based technological solutions are vital in achieving success.
Technological innovation is the solution
For instance, with a population of just over 49 million people, Uganda’s internet penetration stands at 27%, or 13.3 million users. This presents significant opportunities for organisations to introduce innovative technologies aimed at growing this untapped market.
This innovation is already apparent. One of East Africa’s fastest growing economies, Uganda is home to a number of emerging fintech, foodtech, and data startups, amongst others, driving economic growth and job creation. This is in addition to the accelerated use of digital technologies that started during the pandemic, such as mobile money, online shopping, and the like.
Increasing need for tailored solutions
With such rapid growth and expansion comes the need for tailored solutions to manage these burgeoning businesses – from SMEs to large enterprises. This ranges from the internet connectivity that enables these companies to establish a presence and successfully do business in Uganda, across the African continent and even globally, to the robust suite of cost-effective cloud computing solutions that allow them to operate with the required flexibility; scale as they grow; comply with regulatory and data sovereignty requirements; mitigate limited or unreliable connectivity; and modernise and innovate – all the while ensuring that their systems are secured against data breaches.
Introducing Microsoft Azure Stack
As the only provider of Microsoft Azure stack in Uganda, Liquid Intelligent Technologies is offering these solutions to its customers. Integrated into Liquid’s platform, the Azure Stack hub provides secure access to cloud solutions that meet the requirements of Uganda’s data protection legislation without compromising business performance. Local businesses get a consistent experience across public cloud and on-premises setups, on a multi-tenanted hub that’s optimised for the cloud, empowering them with the capabilities needed to future-proof their organisations.
Real-world solutions
What does this mean for a Ugandan business looking to maintain both trust and compliance in its operations? Let’s take, for example, a local healthcare provider wanting to modernise its data infrastructure to support real-time health analytics and improve patient care outcomes. Located outside of a major urban area, poor internet infrastructure is a limiting factor in achieving this objective, along with the country’s data protection regulations.
With Liquid’s Azure Stack services, this customer could deploy a hybrid cloud solution that keeps confidential patient information securely on-premises, while using cloud computing for non-sensitive operations and data backup. Data protection laws are complied with, and the healthcare provider has access to advanced cloud applications for data analysis, enhancing the levels of service to its patients and streamlining its operations. The cost-effective solution is flexible and scalable, adapting to the needs of the business.
Fostering entrepreneurial growth
For Uganda’s startups and SMEs in particular, the benefits of adopting cloud technology are enormous. There’s no need to incur the costs of building and maintaining data centres, and they only pay for the IT resources and solutions they use.
Integrating innovative cloud technologies can transform how Ugandan businesses operate. Across all industries, these digital solutions have the potential to build a resilient, innovative, and inclusive digital economy in Africa, leaving no one behind.
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