MTN Uganda’s leadership team, headed by Ibrahim Ssenyonga, General Manager of the Enterprise Business Unit, visited ATC Uganda on April 1, 2025, to commend CEO Dorothy Kabagambe Ssemanda for her instrumental role in promoting women empowerment within the company and the broader telecom sector.
The courtesy visit, which took place in commemoration of the just concluded women’s month, highlighted MTN Uganda’s continued support for gender equality and women’s leadership in business.
The delegation praised Ssemanda’s efforts to integrate gender balance initiatives within ATC Uganda’s core business strategy, recognizing the company’s commitment to fostering opportunities for women-owned businesses.
“This moment will undoubtedly go down in history,” Ssemanda remarked during the visit. “We are truly grateful for this opportunity, and we look forward to good conversations a head.”
The discussion also focused on the Advancing Women Empowerment (AWE) initiative, a partnership aimed at increasing the participation of women-owned enterprises in the telecom sector, launched two years ago.
Sharon Nyaika, Senior Manager of Supply Chain Logistics at MTN Uganda, emphasized the progress the initiative has made since its inception.
“We started with just 2% participation from women-owned businesses, and now, after one year, we’ve reached 14%. This growth reflects the success of our collaborative approach,” Nyaika said. “To date, we’ve awarded 40 contracts totaling over UGX 22 billion, proving that partnerships like these are driving real change.”
The AWE initiative, which supports a variety of women-owned companies, including Solar Nation Ltd., is focused on integrating these businesses into the telecom supply chain.
Stella Lunkuse, the managing director at Solar Nation Ltd., a beneficiary of the program, shared how the initiative has transformed her business.
“Our company has grown by 12%, expanded into new markets like Ghana and Kenya, and added new staff,” Lunkuse said. “MTN’s support and the training we received from partners like DFCU and UN Women have been crucial in our growth.”
Lunkuse said Solar Nation has successfully installed solar-powered telecom masts at 10 sites, with an additional 13 sites allocated to them as part of the ongoing collaboration between MTN and ATC Uganda to embrace renewable energy solutions.
The AWE initiative, launched by MTN Uganda in collaboration with ATC Uganda and partners, aims to build capacity within women-led businesses, provide access to new markets, and create a sustainable ecosystem in the telecom industry.
Ibrahim Ssenyonga closed the visit by reaffirming MTN Uganda’s commitment to fostering gender equality and economic growth through strategic partnerships. “At MTN, we connect businesses to opportunities and knowledge. Today’s visit with ATC Uganda reaffirms our shared vision to drive change and support women entrepreneurs, fueling growth across the economy,” Ssenyonga said.
The collaboration between MTN Uganda and ATC Uganda reflects a growing trend in corporate efforts to promote diversity and inclusion within Uganda’s telecom sector, creating new pathways for women in business.