(Ecofin Agency) - The Ugandan government aims to connect the entire population to the Internet as part of its digital transformation ambitions. According to the latest statistics from the telecoms regulator, Uganda has 25 million Internet users, representing a 60% penetration rate.

The Ugandan government plans to provide high-speed Internet connectivity to refugee camps across the country. The plan was disclosed by Amina Zawedde, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and National Orientation, on Saturday, June 24.

The initiative is part of Uganda's Universal Digital Transformation Acceleration Program. This program is supported by the World Bank, which recently granted a loan of 1,800 billion shillings ($489.4 million) to the Ugandan government for its implementation. It comprises a number of components, including the improvement and extension of Internet connectivity to last-mile communities.

"This means that when the internet gets to a hospital, a school, government offices, or any facility, the laboratories and the administrative offices are connected so that those people get to use the internet better," explained Ms. Zawedde.

Internet connectivity is expected to provide refugees with the infrastructure they need to educate themselves, learn new languages, acquire various professional skills, and improve their livelihoods. Uganda hosts around 1.5 million refugees, according to estimates by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Isaac K. Kassouwi