MTN narrows rural digital divide as Amuru mobile ICT drive graduates 225

AMURU — MTN Uganda has expanded its footprint in the northern region’s digital economy with the graduation of 225 participants from its mobile ICT literacy program, as the telecom giant accelerates its strategy to bridge the rural connectivity gap.

The initiative, delivered through the MTN Foundation’s Internet Bus in partnership with the Maendeleo Foundation, focuses on hands-on business technology skills and online safety. This latest cohort in Amuru District brings the program’s total reach to more than 5,900 people across 44 communities since 2022.

Philip Odoi, MTN’s regional commercial head for Northern Uganda, said the mobile training model is a tactical move to dismantle the barriers of distance and infrastructure that typically stifle economic participation in rural areas. By bringing high-speed connectivity and hardware directly to underserved markets, the company is positioning digital literacy as a tool for local enterprise rather than just a social service.

The program aligns with a broader national rollout that has already seen similar interventions in Mukono, Jinja, and Bushenyi. For MTN, the investment in human capital serves a dual purpose: fulfilling corporate social responsibility mandates while simultaneously cultivating a tech-savvy consumer base capable of navigating a digital-first economy.

Geoffrey Osborn Oceng, the Amuru Resident District Commissioner, noted that the infusion of technical competencies among youth and women is a critical driver for district-level development. He described the training as a necessary transformation for a workforce increasingly required to operate in a technology-driven landscape.

Top-performing trainees, including Andio Daniel and Auma Mercy, were equipped with laptops and MiFi devices, providing the hardware necessary to transition from the classroom to active participation in the digital marketplace.