Makerere University

What Makerere University does

Makerere University is Uganda's flagship public university, founded in January 1922 as a technical school with 14 students and now operating 10 colleges offering 143+ academic programs across disciplines including health sciences, engineering, business, humanities, agriculture, veterinary medicine, and computing. Headquartered in Kampala on Makerere Hill, the institution serves domestic and international students at undergraduate and graduate levels, with subsidiary colleges, the Mulago Hospital Complex teaching site, and the MUARIK agricultural research institute in Wakiso. The university is governed by a University Council under the Ministry of Education and Sports and led by Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe.

Revenue derives from three primary streams: government of Uganda allocation (recently including Shs61.13 billion for salary harmonization), tuition and fees across undergraduate and graduate programs, and international research grants and partnerships with funders including the National Institutes of Health (USA), European Union, Mastercard Foundation, Google Research Africa, KOICA, Karolinska Institutet, and the Austrian Government. The university operates a hybrid go-to-market model — direct student recruitment via its Study at Mak division and application portal, supplemented by community-led research consortia (e.g., WAXAL African language dataset) and event-driven academic engagement (Faculty Days, AI forums, symposia).

Research and innovation infrastructure centers on the Mak AI Centre, the Mak Research and Innovations Fund (Mak-RIF), the ResilientAfrica Network, the Innovation Hub (UniPod), and — most recently — the National AI Research Cloud commissioned in March 2026 with GPU-enabled servers and secure data storage. Distribution channels span on-campus academic programs, the Muele e-Learning platform and ODeL initiatives, international research partnerships with institutions in Sweden, the USA, the UK, Austria, and Japan, and a regional university network across East Africa. The institution has produced 64 PhD graduates and 500+ peer-reviewed publications through its 25-year Karolinska Institutet collaboration alone, and is currently navigating both expansion (new grants, new partnerships, AI infrastructure) and internal restructuring (salary harmonization disputes, leadership transitions across multiple colleges).

Name

Makerere University

Legal name

Makerere University

Website

https://mak.ac.ug

Company type

Private

Founded year

1922

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Makerere University is Uganda's flagship public university, founded in 1922, operating 10 colleges with 143+ programs in Kampala. It serves domestic and international undergraduate and graduate students, funded by government allocation, tuition, and international research grants across health, AI, agriculture, and climate science.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

STEM-Focused Research Universities (Engineering & Applied Sciences) (EDAHABAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Engineering & Technology Institutes (Comprehensive) (EDAHAEAA)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• University research programs
• Graduate training
• Academic degree programs
• Scientific research

Headquarters

HQ city

Kampala

HQ country

Uganda

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Student tuition fees across undergraduate and graduate programs with various fee structures including scholarships and student loan schemes
2. Research Grants and Partnerships: International research grants from organizations including NIH ($20 million AI for Science fund recipients), Karolinska Institutet, Mastercard Foundation, and EU-funded projects like MAGNETISE
3. Corporate Partnerships: Partnerships with corporations like Prudential Uganda (Actuarial Support Scheme), Oracle Academy, and Google Research Africa providing funding, resources, and student support programs

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Makerere University delivers higher education through over 143 academic programmes across 10 colleges, covering disciplines such as Medicine, Business, Engineering, Humanities, Sciences, Agriculture, and Veterinary Medicine. It also generates new knowledge via research initiatives in AI, genomics, health sciences, agriculture, and climate science, while providing postgraduate training, research infrastructure (including the National AI Research Cloud), and community engagement programs.

Product overview

Makerere University is a higher education institution offering academic programs across 10 colleges with over 143 programs/courses. The university's research and innovation infrastructure includes specialized centers, research initiatives, and publication platforms rather than commercial software products. Key institutional offerings include the Mak AI Centre for artificial intelligence research, the Research and Innovations Fund (Mak-RIF) supporting doctoral research, the University Press with peer-reviewed journals, and various research collaboration programs. The institution focuses on academic education, research excellence, and community engagement rather than commercial product offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Mak AI Centre: Centre for Artificial Intelligence at Makerere University focused on AI research and applications including health, multilingual AI, and digital transformation.
• Mak-RIF
• MakGAP
• ResilientAfrica Network (RAN)
• Innovation Hub (UniPod)
• Mak Sharks
• Impis Rugby Club
• Africa Water Quality Testing Fellowship
• SURGE Project
• CHART-CR
• TORCH Project

Products and services

• Undergraduate and Graduate Academic Programmes (143+ courses across 10 colleges)
• National AI Research Cloud
• WAXAL African Language Speech Dataset
• Open, Distance and E-Learning (ODeL) / Muele e-Learning Platform

Quantifiable outcome

• 64 PhD graduates through Karolinska Institutet partnership over 25 years
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Fukui University (Japan)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 June 2026MoU signed June 19, 2026 to enhance research, teacher development, and STEM education; collaboration on academic exchanges, joint research projects, and capacity building in science, technology, engineering and mathematics education
• Oracle AcademyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 May 2026Oracle Academy Faculty Day workshop at Makerere University exploring cloud computing and AI in higher education; focused on curriculum integration, digital skills development, and preparing students for AI-driven workforce; included technical training on cloud technologies for academic research
• Research and Education Network for Uganda (RENU)coreTechnology or Integration · 13 March 2026Joint commissioning of National AI Research Cloud on March 13, 2026 - a high-performance computing platform with GPU-enabled servers and secure data storage; launched by Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Dr. Monica Musenero; implemented by Pathogen Economy Labs in partnership with Marconi Lab and Mak AI Centre
• Google Research AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 February 2026Multi-year collaboration beginning 2021 with Google Research Africa on WAXAL speech dataset covering 27 Sub-Saharan African languages with approximately 1,846 hours of ASR data and 565+ hours of TTS data; Makerere led data collection for African languages while retaining data ownership; initiative aims to bridge the digital divide for over 100 million speakers
• Karolinska Institutet (Sweden)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner25-year collaboration in sustainable health producing 64 PhD graduates, 500+ peer-reviewed publications, and 400+ student and lecturer exchanges; partnership marked quarter-century milestone in October 2025 at anniversary celebration in Stockholm; Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Health established
• Baylor College of Medicine and Baylor Foundation UgandacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on SURGE (Scaling Up advanced genomics and bioinformatics Research training in Pediatric HIV/AIDS in Uganda) project funded by NIH USA; provides Master\'s sponsorship in Genomics and Bioinformatics with monthly stipends, hands-on training, mentorship, and access to host genetic datasets from African children infected with HIV
• Indiana UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative research partnership on 15-year malaria cognitive impact study following nearly 1,000 children in Uganda; published findings in JAMA on severe malaria\'s effects on children\'s cognitive abilities and IQ points up to 15 years post-infection
• Aquaya InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfrica Water Quality Testing Fellowship programme implemented in partnership with Aquaya Institute; trains students and early-career professionals in water quality monitoring, testing, and management through classroom instruction, laboratory practice, and field-based research; part of five-year regional initiative (2021-2026) operating through universities in Uganda, Ghana, and Ethiopia
• BOKU University (Austria)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational research collaboration through TORCH Project (Towards a Clean Energy and Zero-Emission Society in East Africa); partnership for clean energy research, climate action, and community innovation across Uganda, South Sudan, and Austria
• University of Cambridge and Cambridge-Africa ProgrammecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCHART-CR (Communities of Hosts and Refugees Transitioning to Climate Resilience) project partnership with Mastercard Foundation funding; focuses on climate variability, food security, livelihoods, and water availability research across refugee and host communities; generates policy briefs for Uganda\'s most vulnerable populations
• Prudential UgandaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrudential Actuarial Support Scheme (PASS) recognizing fourth cohort of actuarial science graduates at 76th Graduation; programme provides academic recognition, mentorship, internship placements, and professional certification support; has supported 19 students total

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST): Ghana's leading STEM-focused public university with strong engineering, computing, and applied sciences orientation. Closely comparable to Makerere's CEDAT and CoCIS, and competes with Makerere's AI/cloud initiatives for talent and partnerships.
• University of Dar es Salaam: Tanzania's premier public research university, founded 1961, with comparable size, public ownership, and East African reach. It competes with Makerere for top regional students and shares similar donor-funded research mandates in health and agriculture.
• Addis Ababa University: Ethiopia's largest and oldest public university, established 1950, with comparable comprehensive college structure and East African research footprint. Shares similar donor dependence and public-mission profile with Makerere.
• University of Ghana (Legon): Ghana's oldest public research university with parallel structure of multiple colleges, research institutes, and international partnerships. Comparable as a flagship Anglophone African public university with similar governance and funding profile.
• University of Nairobi: Kenya's oldest and largest public university, established 1956, with comparable scale, public funding model, and East African positioning to Makerere. It offers a similar comprehensive college structure and serves as the most direct regional peer for admissions competition and research collaboration.
• University of Ibadan: Nigeria's oldest public university (1948) with comparable comprehensive academic structure, large student body, and pan-African research role. Shares Makerere's combination of humanities, sciences, and medical research at scale.

Emerging players

• African Leadership University (ALU): Pan-African private university operating in Mauritius and Rwanda, focused on leadership, technology, and emerging skills. Represents the new wave of African higher-education providers competing with Makerere for top regional students.

Broad incumbents

• University of Cape Town: Africa's top-ranked research university with significantly larger scale, broader global funding base, and stronger commercial research output. Sets the benchmark that Makerere's research ambitions and international partnerships are measured against.
• Stellenbosch University: Major South African research university with comparable international partnerships, applied research focus, and postgraduate training scale. A useful benchmark for Makerere's research capacity and commercialization trajectory.

Regional players

• Carnegie Mellon University Africa: US-linked graduate university in Kigali, Rwanda, specializing in AI, data science, and engineering. A direct emerging alternative for East African students who would otherwise enroll in Makerere's CoCIS and AI programmes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MakerereU
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/Makerere
• Facebookfacebook.com/Makerere
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/makerere
• Instagraminstagram.com/Makerere
• TikTokvm.tiktok.com/ZMNJLv2mX

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Makerere University