Uganda has been ranked among the world’s top 25 destinations for outsourcing services, a major milestone for the country’s growing digital economy.
According to the 2026 Global Outsourcing Talent Index, Uganda ranks 24th out of 193 countries assessed worldwide.
The ranking places Uganda in the top 13% globally, second in the East African Community behind Kenya, and among only seven African countries in the world’s top 25 outsourcing destinations.
The achievement is being viewed as evidence that Uganda’s National Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Policy is beginning to deliver results.
At 10am on a Tuesday morning in Gulu City, 26-year-old digital freelancer Amara is already several hours into her workday. Her client is based in Tokyo, Japan. She is helping rebuild a website for a Japanese retail company, despite never having travelled outside Uganda.
Amara is one of about 1,500 trained digital freelancers working through Maarifasasa Limited, a Ugandan company that connects local talent to clients in Japan, the United States, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Belgium, South Korea, Ghana and Eswatini.
“People used to say that if you wanted to work in tech, you had to go to Nairobi or leave Africa entirely,” she says. “Nobody told us the work could come to us.”
Today, that work is increasingly coming to Uganda.
When the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance launched the National BPO Policy, its objective was to position Uganda as a preferred destination for global digital services. The latest global ranking suggests that goal is gaining traction.
The Global Outsourcing Talent Index measures countries according to their competitiveness in providing outsourced digital services.
Uganda’s position at 24th globally highlights the country’s growing attractiveness to international companies seeking skilled and affordable talent.
In labour cost competitiveness, Uganda ranked 12th worldwide, ahead of several larger economies with more established technology sectors.
The report notes that Uganda is becoming a trusted destination for global digital services because of its combination of talent, affordability, reliability and innovation.
The ranking reflects decisions being made by international companies about where to source digital services. It also reflects years of investment in digital skills development and technology infrastructure.
Uganda’s Fourth National Development Plan (NDP IV) identifies digital transformation and human capital development as key drivers of the country’s ambition to achieve upper-middle-income status by 2040.
The BPO sector supports both goals by creating skilled jobs, earning foreign exchange and expanding digital expertise among young people.
Uganda’s youthful population is one of its biggest advantages. More than 73% of the country’s population is under the age of 30, providing a large pool of workers for the digital economy.
Dr Aminah Zawedde, the permanent secretary at the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, said the ranking is the result of deliberate policy decisions and investment.
“This ranking is not accidental. It is the outcome of deliberate policy, investment in ICT training aligned to international standards, infrastructure development and creating the conditions for Ugandan enterprises to compete globally. NDP IV gave us the framework. Our young people are delivering the results,” she said.
International partnerships have also contributed to the sector’s growth.
One of the most significant is the Uganda-Japan ICT Connectivity Project, commonly known as UJ-Connect. The initiative is a partnership between the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Since its launch, UJ-Connect has facilitated 51 business-matching engagements between Ugandan and Japanese technology companies. It has also established BizLink, a platform that connects Ugandan software developers and BPO firms with Japanese outsourcing opportunities.
Uganda has also benefited from support under the United Kingdom Trade Partnerships Programme, which helps export-ready ICT and BPO companies meet international standards and access new markets.
Part of this initiative led to the development of “The Tech Pearl”, Uganda’s rebranded value proposition for the global outsourcing industry. The brand aims to position Uganda as a reliable destination for digital services and specialised talent.
A growing number of Ugandan firms now provide services to clients across Europe, Asia and North America. Their services include customer support, cybersecurity, software development, digital marketing, data management, quality assurance and market research.
For Brian, 29, who leads a quality assurance team at a Kampala-based outsourcing company, the ranking reflects a wider shift in perception.
Two years ago, he applied for a BPO position in Kenya but did not receive a response. Today, he works for a Ugandan company serving clients in several European countries.
“I used to think the real jobs were somewhere else,” he said. “They were here the whole time. We just needed more people to build them.”
Despite the progress, experts say more work remains. Continued investment in broadband infrastructure, digital skills training and private sector development will be essential if Uganda is to improve its global ranking and strengthen its position as a regional outsourcing hub.
The Ministry of ICT and National Guidance has indicated that it intends to continue investing in these areas through the framework provided by the National BPO Policy and NDP IV.
Back in Gulu, Amara is preparing to brief her client in Tokyo on the next stage of the project. Using a video conferencing platform and a stable internet connection, she is competing for work in the global marketplace from northern Uganda.
Her story reflects a broader transformation taking place across the country. For a growing number of young Ugandans, global opportunities no longer require relocation. Increasingly, the world is bringing its business to them.
