The 2025 focal Business Trendsetter and public sector Award Winner Hon.Nyombi Thembo and 2023-2024-2025 Trends hero Dr. Lilly Ajarova at the 6th Business Trendsetters’ forum and Awards Gala-2025
Honored to receive this recognition! This acknowledgment is worth more than any material possession.
Reflecting on the evolution of communication, we’ve transformed from a time when less than 2% of Ugandans had access to phones to nearly 30 million young people using them today. With approximately 45 million SIM cards and a 65% internet penetration rate, digital transactions are now integral to our lives.
As we shift from regulation to facilitation, we’re promoting innovation and ensuring accessibility for all. Let’s continue to break barriers and empower our communities!
A special shoutout to my dedicated team at UCC—your hard work makes all the difference! – *Hon. Nyombi Thembo, UCC Executive Director*
Top Uganda’s 2025 pacesetters awarded at the 6th Trendsetter Forum.
On 31st July 2025, the 6th Trendsetters Forum & awards gala was held at Sheraton Hotel in Kampala, championed by Yvonne Mpanga, the Executive Director of Business Trends Galore, a Business Development Consultant, together with partners.
The event, according to organizers, seeks to recognize, promote business trends that are shaping society in its current form.
The theme of this year’s forum was: “Innovations with Hyper Business Intelligence and Environmental Social Governance (ESG)”
During the forum and award moment, various trendsetters were awarded for their excellent contribution to Uganda and their impact to society in many ways.
Winners, partners take group picture
Notable award winners included The Executive Director of Uganda Communication Commission (UCC), Hon. Nyomb Tembo, who received the Public Sector Award, Dr. Lily Ajarova former Boss of Uganda Tourism Board, received the Trends hero award for 2 years, Joanita Mukasa Menya, the Managing Director of Vivo Energy Uganda, Martin Oscar Kintu from CBS received the lifetime award, Kasole Bwererre from Mbale, Dr. Abraham Kadunabi, Victoria University’s Vice Chancellor, Lawrence Muganga, for transforming the university with education innovations such as new study session, among others.
Yvonne Mpanga, a leading voice in business and founder of Business Trendsetters’ Forum & Awards
Yvonne Mpanga highlighted that the criteria for selecting the award winners were determined by the public who were nominating their candidates, depending on inspirations based on quality, trainability and transcendence of the trendsetters’ contributions to society.
Yvonne Mpanga, a leading voice in business and founder of Business Trendsetters’ Forum & Awards.
The UCC Boss Hon Nyombi Tembo, after receiving the award for his excellent service delivery in innovating for transformation and impact said that under his tenure, more Ugandans have accessed mobile phones, internet, and a tremendous digital transformation, which he said is attributed to the regulatory framework, which has shifted from enforcement to facilitation to innovations in Uganda.
“UCC regulates a sector that touches every life in Uganda, we have moved from enforcement to facilitation to avoid stifling innovations. Business and communication go hand in hand. With about 45 SIM cards in use and an internet penetration at 65%, the telecom sector is touching every aspect of life” he said
Jonathan Light, a Life Development Coach, delivered a powerful speech on the relevancy of considering ESG while growing businesses where he urged business leaders to re-evaluate the ecosystem around their business if they are to scale up sustainably.
One of the 2025 Business Trends Pacesetters Ms. Joanita M Menya (L) hands Martin Oscar Kintu, the accolade of Business Trendsetter- Life Time Achievement. Martin Oscar Kintu set the pace for non government sponsored radio educative plays that have aired on channels Central Broadcasting Service ( CBS) and impacted a million lives for their contemporary approach to day to day Solutions.Looking on is Yvonne Mpanga, the vision bearer and Executive Director of the Business Trendsetters’ forum.
“Now is the time to re-evaluate the ecosystems around your business, your people, systems, values, and leadership culture, and ask yourself: Is it worthy of the future you’re aiming for? Whether you lead a startup, a boardroom, or a government office, remember: transformation begins with what you choose to govern today” he said
He added that “Don’t just scale your footprint, deepen your dent. Revisit your current space and saturate it with excellence, traceable impact, and intentional growth. Let your enterprise become a reference point for sustainable innovation and ethical execution”
Mr. Innocent Kawooya the CEO of Hipipo pledged continued support to annual Trendsetter forum to boost innovations and opportunities while investing in capacity building for Ugandans to utilize digital solutions as enablers of business.
“21 years with Hipipo is a true achievement, we need to support innovations in an ecosystem to create opportunities to build initiatives” he said.
He called upon other partners to join hands with Trendsetters forum annually to support the society to acquire knowledge, learn how to save and invest in innovations. In his message to mark the World Fintech Day 2025 he said that “We envision how technology, industry, innovation, and infrastructure can serve as sustainable rails for improving the quality of life for billions across the globe. FinTech holds the power to create decent work, drive economic growth, and lift every world citizen, especially women and youth, from extreme poverty into prosperity”
The partners of the Trendsetters that exhibited and made remarks included: Broston Canadian Academy, Nyumba Relief, Leap Publishers, Reportage Properties Uganda, Olsights among others.
2022 Business Trends Pacesetter, Prof. J.W. Balunywa always has something new every time he meets Trendsetters. Members were awed by the fine details of what their handsets can deliver with HYPER Business Intelligence.
SHERATON KAMPALA HOTEL
6th Business Trendsetters Forum and Awards Gala-2025
#BTF2025
Yvonne Mpanga at the 5th Business Trendsetters Forum and Awards Gala,.held at Sheraton Kampala Hotel under the Theme. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE,.YOUR MIND and.YOUR Business
Innovations with Hyper Business Intelligence and Environmental Social media
Some of the participants of the 6th Business Trendsetters Forum and Awards Gala-2025 included: UCC, Altx Africa, Bronston Canadian Academy, OCULAR, REPORTAGE properties, Muddy Cleaning services, Balunywa Leadership Academy among notable others.
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