Uganda is increasingly positioning Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) as a key driver of its digital economy, leveraging its youthful population, growing digital infrastructure, and supportive government policies to tap into global demand for outsourced services.
BPO refers to the practice where companies contract external entities to perform specific services or tasks, allowing them to focus on core business functions. These services range from call centres and customer support to content production, telemedicine, fintech services, and IT support.
The role of BPO in Uganda’s digital transformation was the focus of a recent episode of the Ugandan Podcast, produced by the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance in partnership with MultiChoice Uganda.
The discussion featured Dr Amina Zawedde, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, and Hassan Saleh, Chief Executive Officer of MultiChoice Uganda.
Dr Zawedde described BPO as a contractual arrangement in which individuals or companies provide services without being full-time employees of the contracting organization. She explained that outsourcing enables businesses to operate more efficiently while creating employment opportunities, particularly for young people.
Uganda’s suitability as a BPO destination, Dr Zawedde noted, is largely anchored in its young and educated population. Of Uganda’s estimated 46 million people, more than 70 percent are youth, many of whom possess the skills required for digital work.
She also highlighted the growing global demand for young labour, especially in countries with ageing populations such as Japan. Through BPO, Ugandans can work remotely for international companies, earn foreign income, and contribute to national economic growth without migrating.
“Ugandans speak very good English, and our equatorial time zone is favourable. It allows us to support the US and other foreign markets by effectively matching time differences,” Dr Zawedde said.
To support this growth, the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance has established a Business Process Outsourcing portal on its website (ict.go.ug), where young people can register their skills for potential matching with employers.
According to Dr Zawedde, the initiative has already yielded results, including partnerships with companies in Japan and Helpware, an American firm that has hired more than 600 Ugandans and targets to recruit 5,000. To date, 50 companies have registered on the platform.
The BPO initiative is aligned with Uganda’s Digital Transformation Roadmap, a five-year strategy aimed at achieving the country’s digital vision by 2040.
The roadmap is built on five pillars: digital infrastructure, digital services, cybersecurity and data protection, digital skilling, and innovation and entrepreneurship—all of which are critical to a thriving BPO sector.
To further strengthen the ecosystem, government has introduced a Business Process Outsourcing Policy, which provides guidelines and incentives to attract international firms and encourage local participation.
Private sector players are also playing a key role. Hassan Saleh said MultiChoice Uganda is both a beneficiary and contributor to the BPO ecosystem. The company outsources several services, including one outbound and two inbound call centres, employing nearly 300 people.
He noted that local content production on platforms such as Pearl Magic Prime represents a significant BPO value chain, involving thousands of outsourced professionals including scriptwriters, camera crews, producers, and directors.
“Digital enablement means creators no longer need to travel to Nairobi to pitch content. They can submit online, which has increased content volumes and helped identify new talent, as seen at events like the Uganda Film Festival,” Saleh said.
MultiChoice also outsources installation services using an “Uber-style model”, working with over 500 self-employed, certified installers who operate as independent units and are dispatched digitally based on proximity and availability.
Uganda’s BPO drive is further supported through partnerships with organisations such as the Business Process Outsourcing Association of Uganda, the Private Sector Foundation, and development partners including the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). These partnerships focus on skills development, business matching, and innovation hubs in universities and the private sector.
While the opportunities in BPO are expanding, both speakers emphasized the need for individual preparedness.
“You seek and you get,” Saleh said, while Dr Zawedde added, “Opportunity meets the prepared.”
They urged young people to acquire relevant skills and position themselves to take advantage of emerging opportunities in Uganda’s growing digital economy.
