The MTN Ace program is a nationwide initiative by MTN Uganda Foundation aimed at empowering the youth with essential digital, business, and entrepreneurial skills. The program is designed for young people in and out of school, innovators, entrepreneurs, and tech-driven start-ups to address the plight of unemployment. The initiative aims to build Uganda’s human capital, drive innovation, and advance the country’s digital transformation agenda. It includes Ace Skillings, Ace Career, and Ace Enterprise being implemented in partnership with the Engage Consults, MUBS Entrepreneurship Innovation, and Incubation Centre, Ministry of ICT, and Centenary Technology Services, respectively.

MTN Ace Skilling is tailor-made for the youths who are in or out of school to equip them with entrepreneurial skills. The mission of the MTN Ace Skilling is to inspire and empower youth and young adults towards the practical application of innovative ICT solutions to solve their communities’ most pressing challenges in the areas of youth empowerment, education, health, agriculture, and technology.

For the year 2025/26, we target to skill 700 students across the Country with practical International Computer Digital Licence certification in market-relevant digital competencies in computer and online essentials, digital marketing, e-commerce, cyber security, and artificial intelligence.

The MTN Ace Career Project is designed to equip fresh graduates with essential workplace skills and provide valuable internship opportunities. The programme offers three months of hands-on training, followed by structured internship placements for successful candidates.

A total of 100 graduate trainees have been placed within the MTN Uganda work environment. The intervention has demonstrated a strong impact, with 93% of participants securing formal employment, 2% enrolled for further studies, while 4% could not be reached during the follow-up.

The Training and coaching are delivered in partnership with the Makerere University
Business School of Innovation, Incubation and Entrepreneurship Centre (MUBS-EIIC), ensuring high-quality, industry-relevant learning experiences.

MTN Ace Enterprise is dedicated to equipping young people with skills for technology-driven innovation. The programme is delivered in partnership with the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance. It supports the development of locally driven ICT solutions that strengthen Uganda’s innovation ecosystem and promote homegrown talent. To expand its reach beyond Kampala, Regional ICT Hubs are being established at Kabale, Busitema, Gulu, and Soroti public universities, enabling greater access to innovation support services for communities across the country.

A total of 22 innovators from the 2025–2026 cohort are actively shaping Uganda’s digital future by engaging in pitch development sessions and building prototypes across various sectors within the country’s emerging digital economy at the National ICT Innovation Hub, Nakawa, Kampala.

At the same time, an agricultural incubation programme is underway at the Innovation Hub in Nakawa, aimed at equipping graduates with hands-on production skills and entrepreneurial expertise to successfully engage in commercial farming and agribusiness management.

The Girls with Tools program challenges traditional gender roles by empowering underprivileged young women to acquire technical and STEM skills often dominated by men. This multifaceted approach not only equips women with marketable skills but also builds their confidence to enter and thrive in non-traditional industries, such as electrical installation, mechanics, plumbing, building and construction, hairdressing, tailoring, and ICT, all of which are certified by UVTAB and UBTEB.

The programme has trained 1,000 youth across its first and second phases, with an additional 500 currently undergoing training in phase three. It is designed with a strong focus on inclusive vocational skilling, targeting 80% female and 20% male participation.

 

The MTN Skills Academy is a flagship pan-African digital learning platform providing free, accessible online training to empower young people with skills for today’s job market. The platform offers a wide range of courses in career guidance, digital literacy, financial literacy, and workplace readiness, equipping learners with practical competencies for employment and entrepreneurship.

In Uganda, the programme plays a key role in bridging the digital skills gap by expanding access to high-quality, industry-relevant training. Learners engage in in-demand fields such as product analysis, data analytics, programming, and digital marketing, helping them build future-ready skills and improve their employability in a rapidly evolving digital economy.

As of May 2026, a total of 12,368 learners had registered on the portal, with 4,197 completing at least one course, reflecting strong engagement and an increasing demand for flexible and accessible digital learning opportunities.