THE COMMUNICATIONS BLOG

KAMPALA, September 24, 2025 – The Africa Broadband Maps Project has been launched in Kampala. The project is an initiative to support the establishment of national broadband mapping systems across Africa.

Sponsored by the European Union with the technical implementation support of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the project is implemented in 11 African countries. The other beneficiary African countries are: Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The project aims to map broadband infrastructure and service coverage to identify connectivity gaps, thus enabling evidence-based policies and investment decisions.

For three days, stakeholders from across the internet ecosystem met at Fontis Hotel in Kampala to deliberate on Uganda’s broadband landscape and the role that stakeholders can play in identifying and fixing the gaps on the broadband map.

A wide cross-section of stakeholders participated, including the Ministry of Lands, Ministry of Security, Ministry of Health, Electricity Regulatory Authority, NITA Uganda, Uganda Bureau of Statistics and Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited (UETCL). Others are: National Planning Authority, UNICEF, World Vision, Airtel Uganda, MTN Uganda and LycaMobile.

The EUR 15 million project will run for four years, aiming to foster investment and accelerate digital transformation.

In his remarks, the Acting Executive Director, Haruna Musinguzi, underscored the importance of mapping broadband infrastructure with a view to having informed interventions that accelerate digital transformation.

He expressed gratitude to the European Union and ITU for funding and implementing this important project respectively.

He also expressed appreciation for the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance for its continued strategic guidance and policy direction, which provide the foundation upon which initiatives such as Africa BB are anchored. The Ministry of ICT and National Guidance was represented by Mr Kenneth Bagarukayo, Commissioner for Data Networks Engineering.

Uganda has made significant progress in connectivity. As of July 2025, we had over 16.3 million mobile broadband subscriptions, representing a penetration rate of 73% of the adult population. Despite this growth, a gap of 7.5 million Ugandans remains, particularly in rural and hard-to-reach areas, where affordability and infrastructure limitations continue to hinder access.

This is where the Africa-BB-Maps project becomes transformational. For the first time, we will have granular, geospatial data showing exactly where broadband services are available, where coverage gaps persist, and where investment is most needed. This evidence will empower us as regulators and policymakers to make targeted, data-driven decisions.

The Uganda Communications Universal Service and Access Fund (UCUSAF) has already invested in over 85 base stations in underserved areas, extending coverage to communities that were previously left offline. We have also connected over 1,300 schools, 65 health centers, and 100 public access centers to broadband services. With Africa-BB-Maps, such investments will be even more strategically guided, ensuring every shilling counts and every Ugandan is brought closer to digital inclusion.

The three-day engagement provided a platform for dialogue, collaboration, and learning, including technical sessions to unpack the broadband mapping system, build capacity among stakeholders, learn from international best practice and explore how data can guide investment and policy decisions.