Speaking at the State of Digital Economy (SODE) 2026, Niyitegeka said Uganda and other African countries must focus on developing people with practical technology skills if they are to benefit from the growing AI economy.
His remarks build on the wider SODE 2026 conversation that Uganda’s digital transformation must move beyond expanding connectivity to ensuring citizens can use technology to create jobs, businesses and globally competitive solutions.
“Africa’s greatest competitive advantage in the AI era is not data centres, it is human capital,” Niyitegeka said.
He said while investments in digital infrastructure remain important, Africa’s biggest opportunity lies in preparing people who can develop, adapt and apply emerging technologies.
“If we are going to participate in the AI economy, our biggest value proposition will be investing in people, not waiting to build the world’s largest computing infrastructure,” he said.
Niyitegeka said young Africans are already prepared to embrace technology opportunities but require access to relevant training and pathways into employment.
“Young people are not waiting, they are ready. What they need is access to opportunities that equip them with the right skills,” he said.
His message echoes calls from other SODE speakers for a broader digital ecosystem involving government, private sector, academia and innovators, with skills development emerging as a key link between digital access and economic opportunity.
Niyitegeka said traditional academic qualifications remain valuable but cannot alone meet the speed of technological change brought by AI.
“Degrees remain important, but the AI revolution cannot wait four years. We need skills that can be learned today and applied immediately,” he said.
At Refactory Academy, a software skilling institution designed by and for the technology industry, Niyitegeka said the focus has been on practical training that responds to market needs.
“More than 3,500 young people have completed our programmes, and about 70% have gone on to secure employment,” he said.
He challenged the debate around AI and jobs, saying the key issue is not whether technology will replace or create jobs, but whether people will have the skills needed to take advantage of new opportunities.
“The real question is not whether AI will create or eliminate jobs. The question is: who will be ready when those opportunities emerge?” he said.
Niyitegeka said Africa’s growing population presents both a challenge and an opportunity, noting that by 2050 one in every four people globally will be African.
“The question is whether they will be creators of AI solutions or merely consumers,” he said.
He said AI has the potential to significantly contribute to Africa’s economy, with estimates projecting up to US$1.5 trillion in economic value by 2030, but warned that the continent must build capacity to create technologies rather than remain a market for imported solutions.
“The challenge is ensuring Africans help create that value rather than simply paying for it,” he said.
Niyitegeka described software development as one of Africa’s biggest opportunities because it allows the continent to participate in global markets without the traditional barriers associated with physical exports.
“Software is the only export that does not require cargo to move. That is the opportunity Africa should seize,” he said.
He added that artificial intelligence is no longer a distant possibility but a present reality requiring immediate action.
“AI is not the future, we are already living in the AI era. The rest of us are simply playing catch up,” Niyitegeka said.
His remarks reinforce a central message emerging from SODE 2026: Uganda’s digital transformation will ultimately be measured not only by infrastructure built or internet connections created, but by whether citizens have the skills to turn technology into economic value.