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The conversation about Africa’s future took the spotlight as top leaders from business, finance, academia and government gathered in Kampala for the Investor Roundtable Summit organised by the Makerere University Alumna Association. The summit, which brought together alumni, investors, entrepreneurs, policymakers and scholars, was held under the theme “Exploring Opportunities for Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Value Creation for Accelerated Socio-Economic Integration and Development of Sub-Saharan Africa.”
The event was attended by young professionals and prominent alumni of Makerere University, one of Africa’s oldest higher institutions. Participants explored the urgent question of how African countries, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, can tackle unemployment, expand innovation, and drive inclusive growth.
One of the most impactful speakers was Samuel Mwogeza, the Executive Director and Head of Personal and Private Banking at Stanbic Bank Uganda. As a panelist, he addressed the challenges of youth unemployment and the opportunities that exist if governments and private investors act boldly. Mwogeza told the audience that Uganda has one of the youngest populations in the world, with over 77 percent of its citizens below 25 years of age. According to him, what should be a great advantage for the country is gradually turning into a serious social risk because millions of young people are idle.
He explained that more than four million young Ugandans are not in school, not working, and not in any training programme. Mwogeza warned that this trend, if not checked, could weaken social stability and slow down the country’s growth. However, he also stressed that this huge youth population represents an opportunity that can transform the nation if investments are directed into the right areas like entrepreneurship, innovation, and financial inclusion.
Mwogeza highlighted how Stanbic Bank is already responding through several programmes. He mentioned the Stanbic National Schools’ Championship, which has trained thousands of high school students in entrepreneurial skills to help them move away from the mindset of only seeking jobs and instead begin creating businesses. He also spoke about the Stanbic Business Incubator, which supports youth-led and women-led small enterprises, especially in sectors such as agriculture, oil and gas, and service delivery.
Another major area of intervention is access to financing. Mwogeza noted that many young entrepreneurs and small businesses cannot grow because of lack of affordable capital. To address this, the bank created Stanbic for Her, which has supported more than 30,000 women entrepreneurs with business-friendly financial solutions. In addition, the Stanbic SACCO Programme is helping smallholder farmers by providing loans at relatively low interest rates of 10 to 12.5 percent. This, he said, has improved agricultural output and boosted household incomes.
The banker revealed that Stanbic Bank’s total investment in local enterprises is already at UGX 960 billion, but the institution plans to increase this significantly. He pledged that by 2028, Stanbic will channel as much as UGX 1 trillion into enterprises led by women, farmers and youth groups. According to him, this is in line with the bank’s vision: “Uganda is our home; we drive her growth.”
His remarks drew applause from the audience and set the tone for the plenary session where graduates and senior alumni engaged the panelists with questions on how to scale up innovation and entrepreneurship across Uganda and other African countries.
Beyond the bank’s initiatives, the summit emphasised that governments in Africa must create policies that support job creation, while private investors should be more willing to finance small businesses. The discussion also highlighted the importance of collaboration between universities, businesses, and policymakers to build skills and encourage research-driven entrepreneurship.
For Uganda and the wider Sub-Saharan Africa region, the roundtable served as a reminder that economic transformation will not come from government alone. It will take a joint effort where the private sector, civil society, and international partners all play their part.
Speakers at the event concluded that tackling youth unemployment, boosting innovation, and empowering entrepreneurs are critical steps for Africa’s future. The Kampala summit may not provide all the answers, but it marked an important stage in shaping a new direction for economic integration and development in the region.
