Ian Rumanyika (2nd Left), the Node Group CEO receiving the award
Node Group Consult has won the Rising Agency of the Year Award at the fifth anniversary of the Annual Uganda Marketing Excellence Awards (UMEAS). The awards were held at the Serena Hotel in Kampala on December 11, 2025.
Node Group’s award entry underscored agency approaches to innovation, problem solving, campaign execution, spotting trends, client service, ethical practices & effective client project management.
Node Group’s methods are coloured with deep insights & a broad range of expertise in the diverse and ever-changing market trends and industries. Node Group supports entities in Uganda, Rwanda, Malawi, Zambia and Ghana.
The fifth edition of UMEAS brought together companies and brands to showcase their marketing achievements and business excellence under the theme, “Promoting Sustainable Marketing Excellence.”
This year, there was a 15% increase in UMEA award entry submissions.
The Uganda Marketing Excellence Awards were first inspired by the extraordinary marketing campaigns that brands and their custodians created, against all odds, during the pandemic.
“To all agency owners: Excellence happens when we partner with clients ethically, creatively, and with full responsibility for the outcomes we shape together,“ said Ian Rumanyika, Node Group CEO, adding: “This award is a reminder that great agencies aren’t built by titles, but by people discovered, developed, empowered, and trusted to create impact. Agency excellence begins where client challenges meet inspired thinking.”
He added that “Innovation thrives when everyone has a seat at the strategy table. At Node Group, our designers, business development and client service work together because breakthrough ideas don’t come from silos.”
Paul Businge, co-founder of Evolve Africa said this year’s edition covers all aspects of marketing, communications, digital, and advertising, from ideation to creation and execution.
Businge further highlighted that the six-member marketing council determined all nominations, and held 60% stake on all public vote categories, while the public had 40% of the final decision towards the consideration for seven (7) of the thirteen (13) awards categories.
“The marketing council played a critical role of ensuring professionalism at every stage of the process, as the awards aim to maintain credibility, transparency and fairness,” Businge said.
The Marketing council comprised Dr. Benedict Mugerwa, Immaculate Ngulumi Nabatte, JohnPaul Okwi, Rogers Anguzu, Barbra Arimi Teddy and Jackie Namara Rukare.
John Paul Okwi, the Marketing Council lead noted that this year, the focus was centered on Sustainability, as they assessed campaigns and projects that made good use of resources that were entrusted to marketers, and whether they made a return on investment sustainably.
