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Enabling environment spurring ICT growth – study
Technology developers at Design Hub in Kampala. PHOTO BY RACHEL MABALA
What you need to know:
- The study shows that a young population who are very entrepreneurial and do not want to seek jobs but rather prefer creating their own enterprises, is one of the contributors to this sector’s growth
A study carried out by the Information Communication Technology Association Of Uganda (ICTA-U) has revealed that enabling environment coupled with available raw materials and good policies by the regulators are spurring growth in the ICT sector.
The study shows that a young population who are very entrepreneurial and do not want to seek jobs but rather prefer creating their own enterprises, is one of the contributors to this sector’s growth.
The government of Uganda, through the Ministry of ICT, decided to implement the National Data Transmission Backbone Infrastructure and e-Government Infrastructure (NBI/EGI) project for high-speed communications.
“Good government policies that entailed laying of Fibre Optic Cables and installation of related equipment, which include; switches, optical transmission equipment, data communication equipment, fixed network equipment, video equipment, computers, servers, training and service,” the report shows.
It further states that, ultimately, the fibre optic cable has linked Uganda to the submarine cables on the East African coast providing access to the rest of the world through Kenya.
As East Africa had relied on expensive satellite connections for telephone and Internet access, local operators and software companies are looking forward to the submarine cable with improved connection speeds and lower operating costs.
In addition, optical transmission is more reliable and of higher capacity compared with microwave transmission. BPO (and other) initiatives fit well into the National Fibre Optic Backbone.
This information was revealed by Ms Elizabeth Ntege chairperson of the Information Communication Technology Association Uganda (ICTAU) while speaking to the media ahead of the second landmark African technology conference slated for September 6 to 9, 2023.
She however says some of the factors that affect this sector are infrastructure and cost of data and lack of network availability in some corners of the country.
Ms Ntege called on regulators to come up with solutions to address these challenges so that data can be made available and network available across the country.
