On 5th June 2025, Thirdsan was honoured to participate in the Data Protection & Privacy CEO Conference 2025, organised by the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) in partnership with Capital Penda. Held in Kampala and streamed live on UCC's official X and YouTube channels, the conference brought together Uganda's foremost CEOs, data protection officers, legal experts, and ICT leaders for a frank conversation about one of the defining challenges of our digital era.

About the Conference

The Data Protection & Privacy CEO Conference 2025 centred on a single, urgent truth: privacy is no longer optional — it is personal, powerful, and essential. As digital innovation accelerates across Africa, protecting the data of citizens and consumers has become one of the most pressing responsibilities facing business and government leaders alike.

Organised under the theme of promoting accountability, navigating Uganda's Data Protection and Privacy Act, and fostering trust in digital service delivery, the conference created a high-level forum where policy, law, and technology converged.

Key Topics on the Agenda

Discussions at the conference covered three interlocking priorities that are reshaping how organisations handle data across Uganda and the wider region:

  • Emerging Trends in Data Governance: Leaders examined how rapid digitisation — from mobile banking to e-government — is generating vast amounts of personal data, and what governance frameworks are needed to manage it responsibly.
  • Responsible and Ethical Use of AI: With artificial intelligence increasingly embedded in consumer-facing products, the conference explored the risks of AI-driven data processing and what ethical guardrails organisations must put in place.
  • Consumer Empowerment in the Digital Age: A consistent theme was the need to shift power back to citizens — ensuring people understand their rights, can exercise them, and trust the digital platforms they use daily.
  • Regulatory Compliance: Leaders received practical guidance on strengthening adherence to Uganda's Data Protection and Privacy Act, with emphasis on the accountability of data controllers and processors.

Why This Matters to Thirdsan

As a technology company that builds platforms handling the data of tens of thousands of users across multiple African countries — from ThirdMoney wallet transactions to ThirdText messaging campaigns — Thirdsan understands that data protection is not a compliance checkbox. It is a responsibility we carry in every system we design and every line of code we write.

Participating in this conference reinforced our commitment to building software that respects user privacy by design, complies with Uganda's data protection framework, and earns the trust of every individual whose data passes through our platforms.

Thirdsan's Takeaway

We left the Data Protection & Privacy CEO Conference 2025 with renewed clarity on the direction of data governance in Uganda and across Africa. The conversations were frank, the expertise in the room was formidable, and the shared commitment to building a safer digital ecosystem was inspiring.

Thirdsan is honoured to have been part of this important national conversation. We remain committed to upholding the highest standards of data protection in every platform we build — for our clients, for end users, and for the communities we serve across Africa.

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