Young Women Drive Uganda’s Digital Economy Through Mobile Business Skills

In the busy trading centres of Kasese District, young women entrepreneurs are quietly reshaping Uganda’s economy through digital innovation, using mobile phones not just for communication, but as tools for business growth, financial management, and economic survival. Development experts say this growing shift toward digital entrepreneurship among young women has the potential to become a major driver of national economic transformation.

The momentum is being accelerated through the “Business Ku Ssimu Yo” campaign, an initiative by United Nations Capital Development Fund working alongside Outbox Uganda and Mastercard Foundation. The programme seeks to equip young entrepreneurs with practical digital and financial literacy skills that allow them to operate and grow businesses directly from their phones.

At a recent business clinic held in Kasese, participants were introduced to digital tools that help entrepreneurs record transactions, manage customers, monitor stock, market products online, and track profits using mobile applications. Trainers encouraged participants to embrace technology as an everyday business necessity rather than viewing phones solely as social communication devices.

For many young women attending the training, digitalisation is creating opportunities that previously seemed out of reach. Some participants said mobile technology has simplified the way they handle business operations, helping them avoid financial confusion and reduce the risks associated with poor record keeping. Others explained that digital tools are enabling them to reach new customers beyond their immediate communities.

Several entrepreneurs noted that using digital platforms has also strengthened their confidence in managing money and making independent business decisions. Some said they now feel more secure handling transactions through mobile money and digital record systems because they can easily track income, expenses, and savings without depending on handwritten notebooks.

Organisers observed that despite the increasing use of smartphones among young Ugandans, many small businesses still operate informally with limited financial records and little access to digital services. They said empowering young women with digital skills is critical because women make up a large share of Uganda’s small business sector and play a significant role in supporting household incomes.

Rachael Kentenyingi, Communications Specialist at United Nations Capital Development Fund, said digitalisation is opening doors for young women to actively participate in Uganda’s economic growth while creating more resilient businesses and communities.

“When young women gain digital skills, they do not only improve their businesses, they strengthen families and local economies as well. Technology is becoming one of the most powerful tools for economic inclusion and opportunity,” Kentenyingi said during the engagement in Kasese.

She added that initiatives such as Business Ku Ssimu Yo are helping to close the gap between informal businesses and modern financial systems by making digital tools accessible and easy to use for ordinary entrepreneurs, especially those in rural and underserved communities.

Through the nationwide campaign, UNCDF and its partners are targeting more than 66,000 young people across Uganda with digital and financial literacy training. The programme aims to position digitalisation as a national growth multiplier by ensuring that young entrepreneurs, particularly women, are equipped with the knowledge and tools needed to thrive in an increasingly technology-driven economy.