Building a Trusted Digital Uganda: Licensing Public Wi-Fi for a Sustainable Future
By Hon. Nyombi Thembo
Executive Director, Uganda Communications Commission
Every day, millions of Ugandans connect to the internet to learn, trade, work, communicate, and build businesses. For many young entrepreneurs, digital connectivity has become more than a convenience; it is a livelihood. Across our towns and cities, public Wi-Fi hotspots have emerged as an affordable way to bring internet access closer to communities and create new business opportunities.
This growth is encouraging, reflecting Uganda’s digital transformation and the ingenuity of our people. But as our digital economy expands, so does our collective responsibility to protect it.
A thriving communications sector rests on one essential ingredient: trust. Consumers must trust the networks they use. Businesses must compete on a level playing field. Investors must have confidence in a predictable market. And the government must ensure that communications infrastructure remains secure, reliable, and accessible.
That is why the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) recently announced enforcement action against operators providing public Wi-Fi services without the required licences. This decision has sparked important conversations, particularly among hotspot operators seeking to regularise their businesses. I welcome these conversations because our objective is not simply to enforce the law. It is to build a communications sector that supports innovation while protecting the public interest.
Innovation Thrives Best Within Clear Rules
I understand why many entrepreneurs have entered the public Wi-Fi business. They have recognised a growing demand for affordable internet access and stepped in to meet it. That entrepreneurial spirit deserves recognition for contributing to Uganda’s digital economy.
However, every successful industry operates within rules that inspire confidence.
Imagine boarding an aircraft that has never been inspected, or taking medicine that has never been approved. Communications services are no different. Every day, people entrust their businesses, financial transactions, personal information, and conversations to communications networks. That trust depends on operators meeting recognised technical, operational, and regulatory standards.
This is why telecommunications is a regulated sector worldwide. Regulation protects consumers, promotes fair competition, encourages investment, and ensures that communications services remain reliable and secure. As I have said before:
“Unregulated telecom activities cannot be allowed to flourish in this highly regulated sector. Offering services without a licence poses significant risks that could lead to chaos.”
This is not about restricting innovation. It is about creating the conditions under which innovation can grow sustainably.
Enforcement Is About Fairness
Whenever a regulator takes enforcement action, it is easy to assume the intention is to punish businesses. That is not our approach.
Every licensed communications operator invests significantly to comply with regulatory requirements. They meet technical standards, fulfil licensing obligations, contribute to government revenue, and remain accountable to the consumers they serve.
Allowing unlicensed operators to provide the same services without meeting those obligations creates an uneven playing field. It disadvantages compliant businesses and ultimately weakens consumer confidence in the sector.
Fair competition can only exist where everyone plays by the same rules. That is why our enforcement action is not merely a regulatory exercise. It is a commitment to protecting consumers, supporting legitimate businesses, and maintaining the integrity of Uganda’s communications ecosystem.
The Door to Compliance Is Wide Open
One of the most encouraging outcomes of our recent announcement has been the willingness of many hotspot operators to ask how they can become compliant. My message is simple: The path is open, and we are ready to support you.
The first step is obtaining the appropriate Public Service Provider (PSP) Licence, which authorises the provision of public communications services.
Under the current licensing framework, the applicable fees are:
Application Processing Fee (one-off) $2,500
Regional PSP Licence – Central Region $12,000
Regional PSP Licence – Other Regions $3,300
National PSP Licence $20,000
These figures are provided for operators that do not hold infrastructure licences and reflect the current Fees and Fines Regulations applicable to Public Service Providers.
The licensing process itself has also been simplified. Applications are submitted online, and where all required documentation is provided, the Commission is obligated to process the application within 60 days.
Our goal is not to create unnecessary barriers. It is to make compliance straightforward and accessible.
A Licence Is More Than Permission to Operate
Too often, businesses view licensing as simply another regulatory requirement. I see it differently. A licence is your passport into Uganda’s formal digital economy.
It signals to your customers that you operate responsibly and transparently. It enhances your business’s credibility. It provides access to regulatory support and capacity-building opportunities from the Commission. Most importantly, it positions your enterprise for long-term growth in a sector that continues to expand each year.
Consumers also benefit because they know they are dealing with operators who meet recognised standards and are accountable to an independent regulator.
In the end, everyone wins. Businesses build stronger brands. Consumers gain greater confidence. The government collects the revenue needed to invest in national development. The communications sector becomes stronger and more resilient.
Looking Beyond Today
At UCC, we recognise that Uganda’s communications landscape is evolving rapidly, and regulation must evolve with it.
That is why we are exploring the introduction of a new licensing category for organised youth and women’s groups that wish to provide public Wi-Fi services. Once the necessary consultations and approvals are complete, this initiative will lower barriers to participation while ensuring that new entrants operate within an appropriate regulatory framework.
Our ambition is clear. We want more Ugandans to participate in the digital economy, not outside the regulatory framework, but confidently within it.
Building Uganda’s Digital Future Together
Uganda’s digital transformation will not be driven by regulators alone.
It will be built by entrepreneurs who recognise opportunities, businesses that invest responsibly, consumers who demand quality services, and institutions that create an environment where innovation and accountability go hand in hand.
At UCC, our responsibility is to ensure that these pieces come together.
That is why we continue to encourage every operator providing public Wi-Fi services without a licence to regularise their operations. We are not asking entrepreneurs to abandon their ambitions. Instead, we invite them to join a trusted, competitive, and sustainable communications sector that benefits everyone.
Every new connection should do more than provide internet access. It should strengthen trust, expand opportunity, and move Uganda one step closer to becoming a truly connected digital nation.
About The Author
