The National Information Technology Authority – Uganda (NITA-U), together with Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) and Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), have held a high-level stakeholder engagement to discuss strategic areas of collaboration to enhance connectivity across key tourist destinations in Uganda.
The strategic dialogue led by the NITA-U Executive Director, Hatwib Mugasa, and UTB CEO, Juliana Kaggwa, alongside technical teams from all three institutions focused on identifying priority areas for collaboration in line with Uganda’s broader development agenda, including Vision 2040, NDP IV, and the Digital Uganda aimed at unlocking the digital potential of Uganda’s tourism sector.
Hatwib Mugasa reaffirmed NITA-U’s commitment to supporting Uganda’s tourism sector through the National Backbone Infrastructure (NBI) and shared plans for expanding connectivity into protected areas.
“We know that tourism thrives on content, connectivity, and data. With the right digital infrastructure, we can transform Uganda into a competitive and digitally immersive destination,” Mugasa said.
He further explained that the pilot project to deploy Wi-Fi connectivity at Kikorongo, near the Equator Monument, is our first step toward smart tourism; one that we envision scaling across national parks, cultural landmarks, and heritage sites.
Juliana Kaggwa, the UTB’s CEO, emphasised the growing intersection between tourism and technology, saying, “Tourism and technology are twin engines of growth for Uganda’s economy. Today’s traveller is digital-first; connectivity is no longer a luxury but an expectation.”
In addition, she noted, “We must work together to increase visitor stay, boost tourism revenue, and automate service delivery. That begins with real-time connectivity at our tourist sites.”
NITA-U is currently exploring innovative and strategic collaborations with emerging technologies such as satellite internet, underutilized TV White Space (TVWS), and solar-based mesh networks to be integrated with the NBI. This integration will enable the delivery of highspeed, reliable connectivity to remote tourist destinations; including national parks, cultural landmarks, and conservation areas where terrestrial infrastructure is not economically feasible.
This initiative will be a game-changer in bridging the digital divide in the tourism sector and unlocking immersive, real-time visitor experiences powered by seamless digital access.
In addition, NITA-U highlighted key services that support e-Government transformation, including access to the National Data Center, cybersecurity training, and automation of backoffice processes, which are critical enablers for Uganda’s tourism ecosystem.
The meeting concluded with a call to action to establish a Tourism Digital Enablement Program; a joint initiative between IT and Tourism to drive innovations such as smart park entry gates, public Wi-Fi, CCTV with AI analytics, and tourism content hubs.
Together, the institutions are committed to positioning Uganda as a digitally advanced tourism destination; where relaxation meets real-time sharing, exploration is seamlessly connected, and digital transformation fuels national pride and prosperity
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