Esther Akullo is a seasoned management and development professional with over 20 years of progressive leadership in public sector reform, donor-funded programs, private Sector and civil society operations. With strong academic grounding—a Bachelor’s in Social Work and Social Administration, a Master’s in Social Sector Planning and Management (Makerere University), and a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from ESAMI—Esther has cultivated expertise across planning, project management, monitoring and evaluation (M&E), and institutional capacity building. She also holds postgraduate diplomas in Project Planning & Management and M&E from Uganda Management Institute.

Esther has held high-impact roles within government and multilateral development programs. She served as Head of Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation at the Financial Management and Accountability Programme (FINMAP III) and the Resource Enhancement and Accountability Program (REAP) at the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (2015 – 2020), where she oversaw design, and implementation frameworks, reporting systems, and results-based performance monitoring for Public Financial Management reforms

Prior to that, she worked with organisations such as the Network for Ugandan Researchers and Research Users (NURRU), the African Palliative Care Association, and the UN World Food Programme, where she played instrumental roles in designing, executing, and evaluating multi-million dollar development programs.

Beyond government and NGO work, Esther brings a private sector lens to public service. She has successfully managed a MTN dealership for over 25 years and currently chairs the MTN Distributors Association in Uganda.

Her involvement with Rotary and various professional networks—such as the National Social Workers Association, the Uganda Land Owners Association further demonstrates her deep commitment to community transformation, ethical leadership, and strategic stakeholder engagement. Her career is also marked by outstanding achievements in resource mobilisation, partnership development, and social protection programming, including leading the rollout of the DFID-funded SAGE program in Northern Uganda.

Esther serves as a Board Member at the National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board (NLGRB), where she blends public sector discipline with private sector agility. Her leadership is driven by a deep-rooted commitment to community impact, ensuring that regulatory oversight translates into meaningful national development. Her extensive experience in planning, accountability systems, and results-based management will reinforce the Board’s oversight function, ensuring that gaming revenues are aligned with Uganda’s national development priorities in a transparent and equitable manner.