Role of ICT as an Enabler in Industrialization: Uganda’s Journey to harnessing the use of ICT

By Steven Kirenga

There is no doubt that Information communication technologies have the power to change lives. ICTs play a role in creating efficiency within government itself and address administrative challenges such as time and costs which are crucial in a country’s development. In Uganda, there have been deliberate efforts to grow the ICT sector in order to harness the incredible potential it brings to the development agenda.

First, the Government of Uganda liberalized the ICT sector from state monopolies as early as 1994 in order to speed up technology and internet penetration.

Secondly, a dedicated Ministry, The Ministry of ICT and National Guidance and the establishment of the National Information and Communication Technology Authority of Uganda (NITA-U) to facilitate this process.

Currently, there are more than 22 million mobile phone subscribers translating to a 45% subscription rate. Over 18 million Ugandans are internet users. ICT is one of fastest-growing sectors in the country. 

The Government of Uganda is cognizant of the importance of internet connectivity not only to our growth but to regional integration.  The National Backbone Infrastructure an optical fibre network now covers 49% of all districts and 24% of sub counties, and all the major border points. 

Using ICT to create efficiency & fight corruption 

There is a continuous drive from all Government entities towards the development and use of electronic public services.  These e-services have impacted public service delivery but are also barriers to corruption. For example, we set up the Anti-Corruption Call Centre reporting tool and 11,420 issues were raised from citizens in February alone.

We are committed to improving the business environment in the country by reducing regulatory costs and turn around for businesses and investors and ICT is an important facilitator in this regard. In respect of this, we set up an online One Stop Center through the Uganda Investment Authority with support from the National Information Technology Authority Uganda (NITA-U).

This One Stop Center solution provides a convenient and efficient service that reduces the number of procedures, time and cost of obtaining the relevant licenses and permits to start and do business in Uganda: by accessing them through a single portal, the e-Biz portal. One Stop Center has reduced the time required to start a business from 6 months to 5 days. This center is the solution to cases where our investors are conned of their money by unscrupulous officials.

We also set up the new e-visa system, this was a one stop center for all immigration facilities.  This system has reduced processing for a work permit from 30 to 4 working days. 

Agriculture is the single largest economic sector in Uganda employing more than 80 percent of Ugandans. The sector has grown at a rate closer to 2 percent per year over the last five years, which lags behind the 6 percent per annum growth target for agriculture called for by Uganda’s National Development Plan (NDP).  Uganda is however considered as one of the countries with the highest agriculture potential in East Africa and ICT in the form of e-agriculture might be the ingredient to burst that potential open and increase agricultural productivity. The Government of Uganda is making direct interventions in this respect. A perfect example is the e-Voucher system which is being implemented by Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries again in partnership with the National Information Technology Authority (NITA-U).  

The project provides subsidies for farmers to access agro-inputs including seed, seedlings, fertilizers, pest and disease control chemicals and post-harvest handling materials for a targeted 450,000 farm households. It is revolutionary in the way it employs ICTs in its operation. So far, it has been rolled out to distribute subsidies to 8,602 farmers including women in pilot sites. E-Voucher will now be rolled out to the 450,000 in 18 districts. 

The Government of Uganda is currently working towards the successful implementation of the following key projects that are of critical important to the development of the nation. These Initiatives include the Electronic Government Procurement (eGP) and Electronic Payment Gateway (ePG). They are also working to integrate all public information systems so that data can seamlessly be shared across Government in a rational, secure, efficient and sustainable manner.