AI regulation in Uganda (2026)

As of May 2026, Uganda has enacted no AI-specific legislation or binding sectoral AI rules. Policy development began in earnest following a Cabinet directive, but a formal law has not been tabled in Parliament.

The Ministry of ICT & National Guidance is leading multi-stakeholder consultations to finalize a National AI and Emerging Technologies Strategy (covering AI, blockchain, cloud computing, big data, and quantum computing). As of March 2026, workshops to refine the draft strategy were still ongoing.

The Data Protection and Privacy Act No. 9 of 2019, administered by NITA-U's Personal Data Protection Office, is the primary existing law applicable to AI systems that process personal data, covering data collection, processing obligations, and data subject rights.

An 11-member National AI Task Force drawn from government, academia, and technical institutions was established to anchor coordination and policy coherence during the strategy development process.

In February 2026, Uganda launched the UNESCO Artificial Intelligence Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM) process, convening government, academia, private sector, and civil society to inform governance design, aligned with UNESCO's 2021 Recommendation on the Ethics of AI.

The Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) published a November 2024 policy brief and February 2025 framework recommending that Uganda adopt a National AI Strategy, establish a formal AI governance institution, and enact an AI-specific legal framework grounded in human rights.