Inside Uganda government’s $500m plan to extend broadband internet to every parish

The government of Uganda is seeking a $500 million loan that will be geared towards expansion of broadband internet to every parish in the country. 

Speaking at the Digital Economy Showcase, an initiative of the Innovation Village and the MasterCard Foundation, in Kampala on Wednesday, March 1, 2023, the Deputy Executive Director of the National Planning Authority, Charles Olweny, said the connectivity will lower make internet costs and increase accessibility.  

“Pushing the digitalization agenda is crucial if we are to attain economic recovery, create limitless opportunities for our young people and realize Vision 2040. Government is committed to enhancing ICT skills, supporting local innovation & promoting export of knowledge products,” Olweny said.

Currently, the ministry says all districts and specifically towns are connected to the national ICT backbone.  

However, this has not been adequately utilized especially by the public and private innovators, due to many reasons affecting access and affordability.

Mr Olweny also said this is part of the government efforts to enable the innovation industry to power the migration from the cash and substance economy to a digital and IT-led economic transformation..    

The government-provided free internet through internet hotspots has been limited to a few places with the program structure deemed not very convenient, as it is accessible only at specific times of the day.

Additionally, public Wi-Fi hotspots have been discouraged by experts and financial institutions as exposing users to hackers.

Japheth C Kawanguzi, the co-founder of Innovation Village in Ntinda, called for increased investment in infrastructure and human capital to ensure that everyone is included in the digital transformation.   

Kawanguzi said there are many young people who have tried innovations and some have living examples of their innovations, but they do not have jobs or significant incomes.

He says unless there is a way to ensure that innovation and the digital economy translate into jobs and more income, the country will not benefit from it.

“As of 2022, 43% of the world’s population were not using the internet. The digital economy contributes 15% to the global GDP which implies that it is an area that is driving growth on a global scale,” Kawanguzi said.

MasterCard Country Director Adrian Bukenya also called for infrastructure sharing by those involved in the internet-based sectors, so as to reduce the cost of doing business and in turn make it cheaper for innovators.