MTN Uganda, the nation’s largest telecom operator, is expanding its network infrastructure in a push to bridge the digital divide and extend internet access to underserved rural areas.
In 2024, the company invested Shs418 billion ($110 million) in network enhancements. These efforts increased 4G LTE coverage from 85.1% to 87.9% of the population. Notably, 5G coverage, previously almost non-existent, now reaches 15.3% of Ugandans. MTN’s fiber optic network also grew by 47%, reaching a total of 17,774 kilometers.
Bayobab Uganda, MTN’s digital infrastructure arm, recently completed a 260-kilometer fiber line from Kampala to Malaba, utilizing the Uganda Railway corridor. This $4 million route connects Uganda to Kenya’s Mombasa landing stations, which serve as crucial access points for international undersea cables. The strategy of aligning telecom infrastructure with transport corridors aims to bolster East Africa’s digital and commercial integration.
This investment is part of a larger network upgrade that will continue through July 2025, focusing on improving voice, data, and mobile money services. The rollout prioritizes the Greater Central region before expanding to northern, eastern, and southwestern Uganda.
MTN is also extending its reach directly into homes with its WakaNet service, which uses fixed LTE and fiber. A new 5G-powered “Home” initiative will further expand high-speed wireless broadband to urban and peri-urban households that may not have fiber access.
“These initiatives aim to transform the digital experience for millions of Ugandans,” said Thomas Motlepa, Chief Technical and Information Officer at MTN Uganda.
He added that this transformation aligns with the company’s “Ambition 2025” strategy, which prioritizes digital inclusion.
The expansion comes as internet usage in Uganda continues to climb.
According to the Uganda Communications Commission Market report, the number of fixed internet users surpassed 106,000 by the end of the fourth quarter of 2024, with mobile internet users exceeding 19.5 million. The growing market has intensified competition among providers.
MTN Uganda’s investment is also expected to yield broader benefits, including increased productivity, improved public services, and a potential reduction in Uganda’s rural-urban divide.
