MTN Uganda opens applications for AWE’s second cohort

Gulu, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | MTN Uganda, together with MTN Mobile Money Uganda, American Tower Corporation (ATC) Uganda, dfcu Bank and The Innovation Village, has launched applications for the second cohort of the Advancing Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) Programme, expanding a multi-year effort to boost women-led enterprises’ participation in high-value business opportunities.

The new call follows the strong performance of the programme’s first phase, which over the past three years helped women-owned suppliers win contracts worth Shs 18 billion — surpassing its initial Shs 15 billion target. The initiative also raised the share of women-led businesses in MTN’s supply chain to 15% from just 0.3% in under two years, marking one of the telecom sector’s most notable shifts toward supplier diversity.

Introduced in 2023 under MTN Uganda’s ESG strategy, AWE aims to accelerate inclusive growth by positioning women entrepreneurs to compete for opportunities in telecoms and related industries. During the first cohort, 118 businesses accessed procurement openings, mentorship, and intensive business development training. dfcu Bank extended more than Shs 1.6 billion in subsidised financing, while participants completed over 30 modules in procurement readiness, financial management, ESG compliance and technical capacity building.

MTN Uganda CEO Sylvia Mulinge said the programme has demonstrated that deliberate inclusion of women entrepreneurs generates both commercial and social value. She added that involving women in strategic projects, including solar energy installations, supports MTN’s sustainability agenda while expanding women’s participation in high-growth sectors.

Applications for the second phase are open via MTN Uganda website until December 20, 2025, targeting women entrepreneurs across Northern, Eastern, Western and Central Uganda. The phase will focus on enterprise growth in areas including information technology, digital services, network infrastructure, marketing, solar and green technology, facility management, commercial services and professional consulting.

To qualify, companies must be at least 50% women-owned or majority women-shareholder, must have operated for at least one year, and must generate annual revenues of no less than Shs 60 million. Applicants need to present a valid tax compliance certificate and demonstrate women-led management. Priority will go to SMEs, youth-led firms and enterprises managed by women with disabilities.

ATC Uganda CEO Dorothy Kabagambe Ssemanda said the programme is helping position women at the centre of technical innovation in telecoms infrastructure. Beyond procurement access, she noted, AWE will offer participants mentorship in engineering, project delivery and health and safety.

dfcu Bank’s Chief Retail Banking Officer, Annette Kiconco, said the lender remains committed to supporting women-led businesses through affordable financing, financial education and expanded access to opportunities in fast-growing sectors such as technology and renewable energy.

Arthur Mukembo, CEO of FutureLab at The Innovation Village, said initiatives like AWE are critical to strengthening the country’s innovation ecosystem, creating jobs and enabling long-term economic transformation.

The programme’s partners will provide hands-on assistance, including digital financial services via MTN Mobile Money Uganda, infrastructure project mentorship through ATC Uganda, financial solutions from dfcu Bank, and incubation and innovation support from The Innovation Village.