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Powering the telecom sector to drive socio-economic transformation isno longer a luxury — it’s a national imperative, experts say
Kampala, Uganda | JULIUS BUSINGE | Uganda’s push toward a digitally enabled economy received renewed momentum at the Telecom Sector Power Forum 2025, held on Tuesday, August 5, in Kampala.
Hosted under the theme “Powering the Telecom Sector to Drive Socio-Economic Transformation,” the forum brought together leaders from the energy, ICT, telecom, and policy sectors to unpack the growing need for integrated infrastructure to drive national development. Private sector players led the charge, urging bold partnerships and policy interventions to close glaring service delivery gaps in rural areas.
Sylvia Mulinge, chief executive officer of MTN Uganda, underscored the centrality of energy in sustaining digital infrastructure.
“Connectivity is only as strong as the power source behind it. A stable power supply is crucial for maintaining communication networks, especially in rural Uganda,” she said. Mulinge also called for a shift toward clean and renewable electricity to power telecom towers, while urging environmental responsibility and sustainable investment.
“Electricity is the invisible backbone of our digital era. Without it, there’s no digital learning, no telemedicine, no smart innovation,” she added, noting that digital infrastructure enables critical services across education, healthcare, finance, and governance.
Other telecom private sector players appealed for the integration of telecom infrastructure into Uganda’s National Electrification Strategy citing persistent gaps in access, even in areas where nearly 2,000 kilometers of electricity lines had already been extended to telecom towers.
“We need to prioritise telecom infrastructure within national electrification plans. This is the only way to ensure that rural communities are not left behind in the digital economy,” one telecom player said.
Keynote speaker Henry Kerali, former World Bank Director for West Africa, struck a cautionary yet visionary tone, emphasizing the strategic value of aligning telecom and energy investments with national development priorities.
“Governments must invest prudently in the ICT sector to drive service delivery across sectors,” he said. He also reaffirmed the importance of Sustainable Development Goal 7—universal access to affordable, reliable, and modern energy services— stressing that all infrastructure decisions must adhere to national laws and policies for long-term sustainability.
The forum’s urgency was framed by stark numbers: while Uganda’s national electricity access stood at 51 percent in 2023, rural electrification lagged at just over 31 percent, according to the Global Off-Grid Lighting Association (GOGLA) and the Uganda Bureau of Statistics. Without targeted power provision to telecom installations in rural areas, participants warned, Uganda risks deepening the digital divide.
Representing the regulatory sector, Fred Otunnu, head of corporate affairs at the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) said: “The Telecom Sector Power Forum is spotlighting the critical energy gap hindering rural connectivity. The future of Uganda’s digital economy is inseparable from our energy infrastructure.”
Stronger alignment
Responding to the private sector’s concerns and laying out a roadmap for policy action, Ziria Tibalwa, CEO of the Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA), called for stronger alignment between national electrification plans and Uganda’s digitisation goals.
“We must anchor our electrification efforts in the broader agenda of digital and socioeconomic development,” she said, adding that energy infrastructure must support the country’s ICT ambitions.
Other government officials echoed the call for integrated planning. Sidronius Okaasai Opolot, Uganda’s Minister of State for Energy, assured participants that the government is committed to synchronizing electricity expansion with telecom development.
“Rural areas need masts,” he said, while pointing to the Free Electricity Connection Policy as a key lever to accelerate grid expansion and inclusivity.
Opolot said the telecom sector was wellpositioned to unlock Uganda’s digital economy through services like agent banking, e-learning, and digital healthcare.
He also noted that national programs like the Parish Development Model (PDM) and National Development Plan IV (NDP IV) stand to gain from coordinated telecomenergy deployment.
To translate policy into action, the minister announced three key directives. First, he called for the establishment of a coordination framework bringing together UCC, ERA, Ministry of ICT, UEDCL, and other relevant agencies to foster shared planning. Second, he directed the Ministry of Energy to prioritize electrification of telecom infrastructure. Third, he announced plans to form an interministerial taskforce to improve strategic planning and joint implementation across both sectors.
Chris Baryomunsi, Minister for ICT and National Guidance, reinforced these commitments, stating that Uganda cannot achieve a truly digital society without universal electricity access.
“Stable and inclusive power access is a non-negotiable foundation for a thriving ICT sector,” he said.
