For many youths, information and communication technology (ICT) has been among the easiest trades to break into, helped by the abundance of short courses, bootcamps, and accessible online learning platforms. It is also a relatively promising trade, considering Uganda’s growing push for science, innovation, and digital transformation. Recently, however, at a graduation ceremony at the Uganda Institute of Information and Communications Technology (UICT) in Nakawa, the possibility of licensing ICT careers, much like law or medicine, was suggested.

For many of us graduates and practitioners, this raises immediate questions and anxieties. Would one need a government permit to work as a developer, network engineer, or IT support officer? Would self-taught professionals be locked out? And was this already law, or just talk?

Why ICT Licensing is Being Discussed in Uganda
Graduation ceremonies often carry more than just celebrations; they are also platforms where policymakers share future intentions for the ministry. And it was at UICT’s 16th graduation, where the Chief Guest and Minister for ICT and National Guidance, Dr Chris Baryomunsi, emphasised government plans to support the institute so that ICT graduates, even if they have qualified from universities, would first go through additional training and certification at UICT to be considered fully certified ICT specialists, a model akin to structured post-graduate practical training.

They spoke about the need to professionalise ICT, drawing comparisons with established professions such as law and medicine. The emphasis was on improving practical skills, ensuring quality, and aligning graduates with industry demands, as ICT is a practical trade where proof of competency matters more than theoretical knowledge.

In passing, the idea of structured post-graduation training, certification, or regulation was raised, and it quickly spread beyond the ceremony into student discussions, where “policy direction” began to sound like “immediate legal requirement.”

Understanding Licensed Professions in Uganda: Law, Medicine, Nursing
To understand why the comparison caused alarm, it is necessary to examine how regulated professions currently operate in Uganda.

Professions such as law, medicine, and nursing are regulated by specific Acts of Parliament. They are overseen by statutory councils that set minimum training standards, issue practising certificates, enforce discipline, and make it illegal to practise without registration, with penalties clearly defined in law.

The natural question, then, is whether ICT has reached this same point.

Is ICT a Licensed Profession in Uganda? Current Status Explained
As things stand today, ICT is not a legally licensed profession in Uganda.

There is no Act of Parliament that requires all ICT professionals to obtain a government-issued practising licence. There is no national ICT council issuing mandatory practising certificates for private-sector ICT work. And there is no legal offence for working in ICT without a state permit.

This means that developers, designers, system administrators, network engineers, and other ICT practitioners are not breaking any law by working without a licence.

What exists instead are employer requirements, industry expectations, and increasingly, government policy discussions.

ICT Certification and Public Sector Standards in Uganda
Although ICT is not licensed in the legal sense, the government is changing how it classifies ICT competence, particularly in the public service.

Government institutions now place more emphasis on recognised certifications, practical skills and structured internships or post-graduate training.

In public sector ICT roles, certification is increasingly mandatory for recruitment or promotion. This is not professional licensing, but it signals a move toward standardisation, especially for roles managing critical government systems, data, and infrastructure.

During the event, Minister Baryomunsi and ICT Ministry Permanent Secretary Dr Aminah Zawedde emphasised that UICT should be strengthened and resourced to become a centre of excellence addressing ICT skills gaps, supporting professional training, and offering market-driven upskilling courses.

UICT’s growing role as a national skills hub fits into this thinking: bridging the gap between academic learning and real-world ICT practice, which is why it is proposed to be the certifying body when the time for it comes.

Why Uganda’s Government Is Considering ICT Professional Standards
The motivation is clear. Employers, both public and private, have long raised concerns about skills mismatches. Many graduates hold ICT-related degrees but lack hands-on experience. Meanwhile, ICT now underpins critical services such as finance, healthcare records, national identification, and cybersecurity.

From a policy perspective, poorly implemented ICT systems are more than an inconvenience; they pose a national risk. Calls for higher standards, structured training, and accountability stem from this reality.

In short, the push is not about restricting access to ICT work but rather building confidence in ICT professionals handling critical systems. For newcomers, the message is clear: skills now matter more than ever. Portfolios, internships, real projects, and recognised certifications will increasingly determine employability. A degree alone may no longer suffice, as we have noted in our education articles on student life after graduation.

For those in private companies or freelancing, nothing changes immediately. No licence is legally required. Market pressure, however, will continue to reward competence, credibility, and continuous learning.

Those in or aiming for public service ICT roles should expect stricter requirements. Certifications and formal skill validation are likely to become standard, especially for senior or sensitive positions.

This has been in the works for some time, and many ICT workers have long anticipated it. Increasingly, professionals are supplementing degrees with certifications that demonstrate practical competence. Cisco networking and Amazon cloud computing certifications, among others, are popular because they show not just a degree but a verified ability in a specific field. This reflects broader industry trends where specialised certifications are valued, even as formal regulatory frameworks remain under discussion.

Will ICT Become a Licensed Profession in Uganda?
It is possible, but it would require a clear legal process. Parliament would need to pass specific legislation establishing an ICT regulatory body, defining who must register, and outlining enforcement mechanisms.

Until such a law exists, ICT remains an open profession. Discussions, proposals, and policy intentions should not be confused with enforceable law.