The National Information Technology Authority–Uganda has unveiled a five-year strategic plan aimed at accelerating digital transformation and expanding access to e-government services.
The NITA-U Strategic Plan covers the 2025/26 to 2029/30 financial years.
NITA-U executive director Hatwib Mugasa said the authority will need Shs1.152 trillion to implement the plan.
He said the strategy marks a major shift from focusing mainly on ICT infrastructure to improving service delivery and citizen use of digital platforms.
“We are moving away from an infrastructure-centric approach to one where success is measured by how many Ugandans are actively using government digital services. The focus now is on solutions that citizens can consume,” Mr Mugasa said.
NITA-U targets wider use of e-government services
The plan is anchored in Vision 2040, the Fourth National Development Plan and the National Digital Transformation Programme.
It seeks to increase the number of Ugandans actively using e-government services from 9.2 percent to 40 percent by the 2029/30 financial year.
The strategy sets targets across six strategic objectives.
These include expanding the UGHub data integration platform, which currently connects 37 percent of ministries, departments and agencies.
NITA-U also plans to increase utilisation of the National Data Centre from 70 percent to 83 percent.
The authority further targets improving compliance with national IT laws and regulations from 67 percent to 81 percent.
Focus on cybersecurity, access and service delivery
Mr Mugasa said the authority will pursue the targets through ICT infrastructure expansion, smart e-government access, cybersecurity and data protection.
He said the plan will also focus on business process outsourcing, IT-enabled services, regulatory compliance and institutional performance management.
“Government, the private sector and the public must all be active participants. We are developing a monitoring and evaluation framework to track ICT projects from inception to end-user impact, ensuring value for money,” he said.
The Ministry of ICT and National Guidance described the plan as a strong commitment to Uganda’s digital future.
Commissioner Kenneth Bagarukayo said the next stage should focus on using the digital systems already built.
“Uganda has invested significantly in digital foundations, infrastructure, platforms and regulatory framework. What this plan now demands is that government uses what has been built,” he said.
Citizen impact to define success
NITA-U chairman Alexander Kibandama said the authority will increasingly measure success by the impact of digital services on citizens.
“In the past, success was measured by infrastructure built: data centres, fibre, and networks. Going forward, success will be judged by how many Ugandans are using digital services and whether those services improve people’s lives,” he said.
Director of Planning, Research and Development Gloria Katuuku said the targets were developed after wide consultations.
She said NITA-U will track progress regularly through a monitoring framework.
“Every target was set deliberately. We consulted widely and developed a framework that will tell us every quarter whether we are on course. This is not a plan we intend to revisit only at the end of five years,” she said.
Challenges remain for digital service delivery
Despite progress in Uganda’s digital sector, several challenges remain.
High broadband costs, sector taxes, fragmented ICT projects and rapid technological change continue to affect service delivery.
NITA-U says the new plan is intended to improve coordination, strengthen digital governance and ensure that investments in technology translate into practical benefits for citizens.
