Uganda’s Digital Transformation Agenda: Insights from the FY 2025/26 Ministerial Policy Statement

Uganda’s Ministry of Information, Communications Technology and National Guidance outlined an ambitious digital transformation roadmap in its Ministerial Policy Statement (MPS) for the 2025/26 financial year, presented to Parliament in March 2025. Seven months later, the country’s tech and policy community continues to evaluate how well the Ministry and its agencies are translating that plan into action. The MPS, which covers both Vote 020 (the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance) and Vote 126 (the National Information Technology Authority–Uganda, NITA-U), sets out to accelerate digital inclusion, strengthen innovation, and modernize government service delivery under the national Digital Transformation Programme.

According to the MPS, the ICT sector was allocated a total of UGX 323 billion for the current financial year. The funds are split across wage, non-wage recurrent, and development expenditures, with the largest share earmarked for ICT infrastructure, cybersecurity, and innovation projects. The Ministry’s declared priorities include extending connectivity to underserved areas, supporting homegrown innovations, operationalizing regional innovation hubs, and advancing the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in governance and service delivery.

At the core of the strategy lies the work of the National Information Technology Authority–Uganda (NITA-U), which continues to lead the expansion of the National Backbone Infrastructure (NBI). The authority reports that 1,567 government sites have been connected to over 4,387 kilometres of fibre optic cable, a milestone aimed at improving inter-agency communication and e-service delivery. During FY 2025/26, NITA-U plans to extend the backbone by an additional 6,000 kilometres, install public Wi-Fi hotspots in 50 districts, and connect 67 more government institutions. The authority also intends to upgrade the National Data Centre and Disaster Recovery Site to enhance data hosting and cybersecurity resilience. Yet despite these advances, the Ministry admits that utilisation remains low in rural and local government entities due to unreliable electricity, poor coordination, and fragmented systems that hinder information sharing.

The Ministry has also noted progress in reducing the cost of government internet from USD 70 to USD 35 per Mbps, but acknowledges that Ugandan consumers still face some of the highest retail internet costs in the region. The MPS identifies high taxes on ICT devices and services as a persistent barrier to digital access and calls for an urgent review of the tax regime to make technology more affordable. Without such reforms, the Ministry warns, Uganda’s digital divide will continue to widen, particularly among rural households, small enterprises, and marginalized groups.

The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), which regulates telecommunications and broadcasting, reports substantial progress in digital skilling and innovation support. Over 1,200 teachers have been retooled in ICT integration across four National Teachers’ Colleges, while more than 200 small and medium enterprises in Jinja and Wakiso were trained in digital marketing and e-commerce. Through its Digital Skilling for Farmers initiative, UCC partnered with the Uganda National Farmers’ Federation to train farmers in 12 districts on how to access weather data, market information, and online trading platforms. The Commission also trained 850 youth in digital content production and supported several local startups through its E-Booster Initiative in partnership with Makerere University Business School. Projects like Feast Farms, Suzie Assistive Technologies, and Infosec Legal Aid App are among the success stories demonstrating how homegrown innovations can tackle community challenges. However, observers point to lingering issues around consumer protection, data pricing, and transparency in the management of the Universal Service Fund (UCUSAF). Critics argue that the Fund’s rural connectivity goals remain underachieved despite consistent annual allocations.

The Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC), meanwhile, continues to make gradual progress toward digital migration. The MPS highlights the upgrade of the Kololo transmission site, improved coverage across Kampala, Wakiso, Mpigi, and Mukono, and the acquisition of broadcasting and transmission equipment for its studios. UBC has also embarked on expanding its reach by establishing new radio stations in Ntoroko, Bukwo, Sebei, and Rakai (Kooki), and acquiring land for a new transmission tower in Kasese. Nonetheless, the broadcaster still faces significant challenges, with coverage reaching only about half of Uganda’s parishes and heavy dependence on government subventions for operations. Analysts say that unless UBC reforms its financial and editorial structures, the public broadcaster will struggle to compete in a rapidly evolving digital media landscape dominated by private players and online platforms.

The Uganda Institute of Information and Communications Technology (UICT) continues to play a central role in digital skills development. During FY 2024/25, the institute trained 3,796 participants in digital literacy, 996 teachers in ICT integration, and 1,161 government officers in cybersecurity, data privacy, and project management. It also hosted 58 innovators at the National ICT Innovation Hub and trained over 1,200 students and professionals in emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, and Virtual Reality. While UICT’s contribution to Uganda’s Fourth Industrial Revolution agenda is notable, the institute continues to face funding constraints and limited research infrastructure. Many innovations incubated at UICT fail to reach commercialization due to the absence of a national innovation financing mechanism and weak linkages between innovators and private investors.

Across the sector, the MPS identifies a series of cross-cutting challenges that continue to slow progress. Chief among them is the fragmentation of government ICT systems, with many Ministries, Departments, and Agencies still operating isolated applications that are not interoperable. The Ministry also points to inadequate complementary infrastructure such as electricity and roads, slow automation of public services, high costs of devices and internet, and low civic awareness about digital government programs. Staffing gaps are another major concern, with several critical technical roles including Commissioners for e-Services and ICT Research & Development remaining vacant.

To address these challenges, the Ministry pledged to harmonise infrastructure rollout across sectors, promote system integration, review ICT taxation, and implement a national civic education programme to drive awareness and uptake of e-services. It also reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and innovation partnerships that create employment for Uganda’s youth. However, analysts remain cautious, noting that similar pledges have appeared in previous policy statements without consistent follow-through. Many experts argue that Uganda’s biggest obstacle is not the absence of strategy but the lack of sustained execution and accountability.

Seven months after the policy’s release, industry watchers observe a mix of progress and inertia. Infrastructure expansion under NITA-U and digital skilling by UCC and UICT are ongoing, yet key reforms such as tax reviews, system integration, and innovation funding have not moved at the same pace. The sector remains vibrant but constrained by bureaucratic bottlenecks and funding imbalances. For Uganda’s digital transformation to deliver on its promise, experts say, the Ministry must now focus on implementation discipline, cross-agency coordination, and measurable outcomes.

The Ministerial Policy Statement for FY 2025/26, presented in March 2025, remains an important blueprint for Uganda’s technological future. It reflects both ambition and realism a recognition that while Uganda has made great strides in digital infrastructure and skills, the journey to an inclusive, smart economy demands more than policy declarations. As October 2025 unfolds, the nation watches to see whether the Ministry of ICT and its agencies can translate this vision into tangible impact ensuring that the promise of digital transformation reaches every citizen, business, and community across the country.