By Mulengera Reporters
On Wednesday, at the ongoing 11th UNESCO Africa Engineering Week & 9th African Engineering Conference in Munyonyo, the Executive Director (ED) of Uganda Industrial Research Institute (UIRI), Prof. Charles Kwesiga, delivered a keynote address underscoring how the Institute has built an innovation ecosystem that is steadily bearing fruit.
He told delegates that the system, though promising, still needs stronger support if Uganda is to accelerate its path to industrialisation.
The conference, which opened on September 14 and runs until September 20 at Speke Resort Munyonyo, has attracted engineers, industry leaders, academics and innovators from across Africa, and it is organised by the Uganda Institution of Professional Engineers (UIPE) with the support of UNESCO, the Uganda Tourism Board and partners in sustainable development.
Under the theme “Leveraging Engineering Innovations and Technology to Accelerate Africa’s Socio-Economic Transformation,” participants are showcasing solutions ranging from artificial intelligence (AI) in agriculture to e-mobility and infrastructure development.
In his address, the Professor traced the journey of UIRI over the past two decades, likening its growth to bamboo that starts slowly but rises firmly once its roots take hold. He explained that the Institute began with modest capacity but now operates two campuses in Nakawa and Namanve, providing applied research, product development, industrial training, and business incubation.
Over the years, UIRI has become a recognised Centre of Excellence for Industrial Research in the East African Community and a member of the World Association of Industrial and Technological Research Organizations (WAITRO).
He highlighted practical milestones, including the provision of testing services for the oil and gas sector, analytical laboratories for small businesses, fabrication of post-harvest technologies, and partnerships with local industries such as Roofings, Nile Breweries and Tembo Steel Mills. These efforts, he noted, show how the Institute’s “innovation ecosystem” has matured into a vital network of academia, industry and government, working together to foster new products, services and solutions.
Even with such progress, Prof. Kwesiga cautioned that gaps remain in funding, technology diffusion and commercialization of research outputs. He argued that an innovation ecosystem is like a farm and without fertile soil in the form of resources and supportive policies, even the best crops can wither. He urged government and stakeholders to provide stronger investment and deliberate mechanisms to bridge academia and industry so that innovations can be turned into sustainable enterprises.
The week-long UNESCO gathering has also provided a platform for exhibitions, workshops and training sessions. Earlier in the month, a training component focused on the application of artificial intelligence in agriculture, before the main conference opened with plenary sessions and showcases of African engineering talent. Delegates are also discussing how African institutions can adapt research to meet global challenges while boosting local economies.
Prof. Kwesiga reminded participants that no single institute or country can drive transformation in isolation, stressing that Uganda’s innovation ecosystem must be part of a larger continental movement where institutions grow together like trees forming a forest. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
