Kampala, Uganda | By Michael Wandati | Uganda is in discussions to establish a new internet cable route passing through Tanzania. This project is part of the Northern Corridor Integration Projects (NCIP) and was announced by Ambassador Patrick Kabonero, who serves as Uganda’s NCIP coordinator.
The announcement was made during the 14th Finance and Private Sector Participation Summit held in Kampala.
“Currently, 100 percent of Uganda’s internet traffic to the world passes through Kenya. Under the NCIP, we are negotiating for an alternative route through Tanzania, which will be led by the private sector,” Kabonero explained.
Following a regional internet outage that lasted more than two days due to disruptions in the SEACOM and EASSy subsea cable systems, Uganda is negotiating a new internet cable route through Tanzania. Ambassador Patrick Kabonero, Uganda’s NCIP coordinator, stated that creating an alternative route is essential for ensuring more reliable internet services across the region.
Kabonero also mentioned ongoing discussions about implementing a One Area Network (OAN) across East Africa, an initiative supported by telecom companies aimed at lowering data costs, boosting internet traffic, and facilitating cross-border transactions.
The Northern Corridor Integration Projects (NCIP) is an East African regional initiative designed to promote integration through shared infrastructure, services, and administrative systems. It encompasses 14 clusters, including one dedicated to finance and private sector participation.
Kabonero acknowledged that funding remains a significant challenge for NCIP projects, emphasizing the need to involve finance ministries in decision-making processes.
The Northern Corridor is a key transport route linking Uganda, South Sudan, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo to Kenya’s port of Mombasa. Serving approximately 120 million people, the corridor also extends to southern Ethiopia and northern Tanzania.
Launched in June 2013 by President Yoweri Museveni, along with former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and Rwanda’s Paul Kagame, the NCIP aims to expedite East African Community (EAC) projects that significantly impact the region’s economies and populations.
Also Read: President Ruto says Elon Musk’s Starlink is shaking up Kenya’s internet market
Key NCIP initiatives include the construction of a standard gauge railway from Mombasa to Kigali, the establishment of oil product and crude oil pipelines, and the development of an oil refinery in Uganda. Other efforts focus on enhancing electricity generation and interconnectivity, creating a single customs territory, and advancing political federation.
Uganda is specifically coordinating four NCIP clusters: developing the Standard Gauge Railway, improving ICT infrastructure, constructing an oil refinery, and securing project financing through private sector engagement. The 15th NCIP Summit is set to take place in Kigali, Rwanda, where progress on these initiatives will be assessed.
