Stanbic Bank launches major scholarship fund to professionalize Uganda’s digital creators ahead of Ongea Summit
The initiative reflects the bank’s broader support for the government’s digital transformation strategy in sustaining Uganda’s economic growth. Part of this strategy is fostering a vibrant digital market ecosystem.
Stanbic Bank has announced a significant scholarship programme targeting Uganda’s burgeoning digital creator economy, a move designed to bolster the professional capacity of young innovators and align with the government’s national digital transformation agenda.
The “Stanbic Digital Content Creator Annual Prize” was unveiled recently during a news conference at the Onomo Hotel, serving as a critical precursor to the forthcoming Stanbic Ongea Digital Creators Summit 2025, scheduled for December 11.
The initiative is part of Stanbic Bank’s ongoing commitment to fostering a vibrant digital market ecosystem and sustaining Uganda’s economic growth through targeted youth empowerment.
Speaking at the announcement, Lois Aber Kwikiriza, Stanbic Marketing and Brand Manager for Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB) & Business and Commercial Banking (BCB), emphasized the strategic importance of the scholarships.
“Uganda’s creator economy is one of the fastest-growing sectors, driven by innovation and digital entrepreneurship. These scholarships will give creators world-class capabilities to grow, monetise, and professionalise their work,” Kwikiriza stated. “This speaks directly to our commitment to youth empowerment and accelerating digital transformation across the country.”
A UGX 1 Trillion Commitment to Youth
The scholarships align with Stanbic’s ambitious Women Youth and Farmers (WYF) Agenda, a three-year programme, which began in mid-2025, committing UGX 1 trillion to unlock access to credit, provide enterprise growth support, and promote digital and financial inclusion across key sectors.
Kwikiriza further linked the initiative to the bank’s core purpose: “This Summit aligns directly with Stanbic Bank’s purpose: ‘Uganda is our home; we drive her growth’. Stanbic is investing UGX 1 trillion over the next three years to expand opportunities for young Ugandans, including those thriving in the digital creator space.”
The annual prize features five specialised scholarship categories designed to cover crucial areas of digital content creation and business acumen: Creator of the Year: Awarded a Premium Professional Course, and Emerging Creator Award: Recognised with a Short Course.
Others are the Social Impact Creator Award: Receives a Mid-Level Course,
Entertainment Excellence Award: Focused on Motion Graphics & Animation training, and the Financial Literacy Creator Award: Offers Business & Management Insights training.
Summit as a National Development Platform
The Stanbic Ongea Digital Creators Summit is a national platform co-organised by the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), Ongea Africa, and the Uganda Digital Society, with Stanbic Bank serving as the Lead Sponsor. It aims to equip young creators with digital skills, business capacity, financial literacy, and insights into responsible content generation.
Joseph Kanyamunyu, speaking on behalf of Ongea Africa, affirmed the national scope of the event. “The Summit is not just an annual event; it is a national development platform. Through the Ongea Skills Lab, we will offer intensive digital and business skill-building necessary for creators to thrive commercially.”
A key objective of the Summit, mandated by the UCC, is policy awareness and regulation. The UCC will utilise the platform to highlight licensing requirements, ensuring a secure and innovative digital ecosystem.
Kenneth Tweheyo, the UCC Head of Competition and Consumer Affairs, stressed the importance of responsible growth within the sector.
“We support platforms like the Ongea Summit because they encourage responsible content creation, digital safety, and innovation,” Tweheyo noted. “During the Summit, we will promote innovation and digital skills through ICT labs, device distribution, and the UCC Innovation Hub Fair. Together, we can grow a safe, inclusive, and empowered digital ecosystem.”
The announcement signals a significant step towards formalising and professionalising the youth-led creator economy, positioning it as a vital pillar of Uganda’s long-term economic strategy.
