Business 16 March 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
ProGigFinder: New Platform Tackles Uganda's Youth Unemployment Crisis
A Ugandan entrepreneur has launched ProGigFinder, a digital marketplace connecting skilled workers with job opportunities to combat rising youth unemployment. With nearly half of youth aged 18-30 jobless or underemployed, the platform enables profiles, bookings, and reviews for gigs in technical and digital services. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/business/technology/new-digital-platform-targets-uganda-s-rising-unemployment-5392622
Uganda faces a severe youth unemployment crisis, with about 49% of those aged 18-30 either unemployed or not in education, training, or employment. While overall unemployment hovers above 12%, the youth rate hits 16%, driven by 700,000 new job market entrants yearly. Around 90% of young people end up in low-paying informal jobs, often leading to frustration, substance abuse, or chronic underemployment.
Enter ProGigFinder, a new digital platform by a local entrepreneur designed to link skilled individuals with businesses and individuals needing services. Users build online profiles showcasing their expertise, while employers post tasks, projects, or openings. A standout feature is the direct booking system, allowing instant scheduling and payments.
Take a Kampala cleaner, for example: traditionally reliant on word-of-mouth, they now gain visibility with job histories, client reviews, income tracking, and schedules. This formalizes informal work, turning weekly survival into sustainable careers.
The platform supports diverse skills, from plumbing and carpentry to graphic design and programming. It empowers both workers and clients in a gig economy, where young Ugandans increasingly seek freelance and project-based income amid scarce formal jobs.
Experts view such tech innovations as key to expanding opportunities in short-term sectors, though broader solutions like economic growth and skills training are essential.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)