Vol. 1 No. 1 (2026)

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A Theoretical Framework for Business Education and Entrepreneurial Development in Uganda: An African Perspective, 2021–2026

Nakato Nalwoga, Department of Advanced Studies, Makerere University, Kampala Bethany Doherty, Medical Research Council (MRC)/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit
Published: January 21, 2026

Abstract

This theoretical article addresses the critical gap in context-specific models linking business education to entrepreneurial development in Uganda. It critiques the persistent dominance of Western pedagogical paradigms within Ugandan business schools, arguing that they inadequately address local socio-economic realities, such as structural gendered barriers and the informal economy’s prominence. Employing a critical synthesis methodology, the analysis integrates contemporary literature on African feminism, Ubuntu philosophy, and indigenous entrepreneurship with policy analyses of Uganda’s national development and educational frameworks. Consequently, the article proposes a novel, integrated theoretical framework that recentres African epistemologies. Its central thesis is that effective business education must be reconceptualised to blend technical acumen with communal ethics, resilience strategies for volatile markets, and a gendered analysis of resource access. This approach aims to foster transformative, socially embedded entrepreneurship over mere venture creation. The framework’s significance lies in providing educators and policymakers with a structured, culturally-grounded tool for curriculum redesign. The primary implication is that aligning pedagogy with indigenous values and contemporary African challenges can enhance graduate agency, thereby contributing more robustly to sustainable local economic development and women’s leadership within Uganda’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

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How to Cite

Nakato Nalwoga, Bethany Doherty (2026). A Theoretical Framework for Business Education and Entrepreneurial Development in Uganda: An African Perspective, 2021–2026. African Journal of Women in Leadership and Governance, Vol. 1 No. 1 (2026), 28-39.
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Keywords

Entrepreneurial ecosystemsBusiness educationContextualisationSub-Saharan AfricaTheoretical frameworkUgandaEntrepreneurial development

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