The National Information Technology Authority-Uganda (NITA-U) has launched a new five-year Strategic Plan aimed at significantly increasing the use of digital government services and accelerating Uganda’s digital transformation agenda.
The Strategic Plan for FY2025/26 to FY2029/30 was unveiled on Tuesday at Skyz Hotel in Naguru, Kampala, alongside a Client Charter and Service Delivery Standards designed to strengthen accountability and improve service delivery.
The plan seeks to increase the proportion of Ugandans actively using e-government services from the current 9.2 percent to 40 percent by the end of the 2029/30 financial year.
According to NITA-U, the strategy is aligned with Uganda’s Vision 2040, the Fourth National Development Plan (NDP IV), and the National Digital Transformation Programme. It focuses on six key areas: ICT infrastructure expansion, digital government services, cybersecurity and data protection, business process outsourcing (BPO) and IT-enabled services, regulatory compliance, and institutional performance.
Representing the Minister of ICT and National Guidance, Justine Kasule Lumumba, at the launch, the Commissioner for Data Networks Engineering, Kenneth Bagarukayo, said the success of the strategy will depend on the commitment of government institutions to fully utilise existing digital infrastructure and platforms.
“Uganda has invested significantly in building the digital foundations—the infrastructure, the platforms and the regulatory framework. What this plan now demands is that government uses what has been built. Every Ministry, Department and Agency has a role to play, and the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance will be watching that progress closely while offering oversight and support,” Bagarukayo said.
NITA-U Executive Director Dr. Hatwib Mugasa said the authority has set measurable targets across all strategic objectives to improve access to and utilisation of digital services.
Among the targets, NITA-U plans to increase connectivity of Ministries, Departments and Agencies to the UGHub data integration platform from 37 percent to 73 percent over the next five years. Utilisation of the National Data Centre is projected to rise from 70 percent to 83 percent, while public satisfaction with e-government services is expected to increase from 22.2 percent to 35 percent.
Compliance with national ICT laws and regulations is also targeted to improve from 67 percent to 81 percent during the implementation period.
“The work ahead requires deliberate collaboration between government, the private sector and citizens. Achieving digital transformation is not the responsibility of one institution alone,” Dr. Mugasa said.
NITA-U Board Chairman Alexander Kibandama said the authority's success would no longer be measured solely by infrastructure development but by the extent to which citizens actively use digital services.
“For years, success at NITA-U was measured by infrastructure built—data centres established, fibre laid and networks connected. This plan changes that narrative. Success will now be measured by how many Ugandans are using these services and whether they are making a difference in their lives,” Kibandama said.
Director of Planning, Research and Development Gloria Katuuku said the plan is backed by a robust monitoring and evaluation framework that will track progress on a quarterly basis.
The newly launched Client Charter outlines the responsibilities and expectations between NITA-U and its stakeholders, while the Service Delivery Standards establish minimum benchmarks for the quality of services provided by the authority.
Officials said the three documents are intended to improve transparency, accountability and public confidence as government seeks to make digital services more accessible and effective for citizens and businesses.