Absa Bank Uganda and Makerere University have stepped up efforts to improve business and financial journalism in Uganda by training 17 journalists in specialised reporting.
The journalists, drawn from leading media houses across the country, participated in the 2026 Absa-Makerere Journalism Masterclass held at Makerere University.
The two-day programme is the second edition of the masterclass, which is being implemented under a three-year partnership between Absa Bank Uganda and Makerere University.
The partnership seeks to build journalists’ skills in specialised reporting, particularly in business, finance and data journalism, while improving the quality of information available to the public.
The training focused on practical areas that journalists encounter while covering the economy and business sector.
Among the topics discussed were data-driven reporting, financial markets, Uganda’s economic outlook, business and financial news writing, and the changing nature of journalism in the digital era.
Participants were also introduced to data journalism techniques that can help reporters turn complex financial information into stories that are easier for the public to understand.
The masterclass further examined ethical issues in business and financial journalism, including professional practices that journalists should follow and common mistakes they should avoid.
Speaking at the opening of the training, Absa Bank Uganda managing director David Wandera said journalists play an important role in helping the public understand economic developments and business decisions.
Wandera said accurate financial reporting was increasingly important because changes in the economy, investments and business decisions affect individuals, companies and communities.
He said the continued participation of journalists in the masterclass shows the growing need for specialised knowledge in newsrooms.
“As a banker and a consumer of news, I rely on journalists to explain sectors, markets and investments clearly. Strong financial and business knowledge makes a significant difference,” Wandera said.
He added that the bank’s support for the programme is part of its wider commitment to promoting quality journalism and helping the public make sense of business and economic issues.
The Head of the Department of Journalism and Communication at Makerere University, Dr Aisha Nakiwala Sembatya, said specialised reporting remains a challenge for many newsrooms because of limited resources for training reporters.
She said strengthening journalists’ understanding of financial concepts and data would improve the quality of questions they ask and the stories they produce.
“Business and financial journalism is a demanding beat and many of our newsrooms simply don’t have the resources to train reporters in it properly. What Absa is doing here fills that gap,” Nakiwala said.
She noted that journalists who understand financial information better are able to provide more useful information to the public.
The masterclass comes at a time when business and economic issues are becoming increasingly important to Ugandan households and businesses, creating a greater need for journalists who can explain economic developments accurately and in simple language.
Through the three-year partnership, Absa Bank Uganda and Makerere University aim to continue building specialised journalism skills and contribute to stronger business and financial reporting in the country.
Leave a Reply