Mind the usage gap: why Uganda’s digital problem isn’t coverage
Uganda has built out its networks quickly. The Digital Government Strategy reports 4G coverage of about 96%, yet only around 22% of the population uses mobile internet. The infrastructure is largely there; people aren’t using it.
The gap is about affordability, skills and usability
When a public service goes digital and adoption stalls, the usual response is to buy more technology: another portal, another app, another data centre upgrade. The data points somewhere else. People can’t afford data, don’t have the digital skills, or find the service too hard to use in their language and on their device.
What this means for digital programmes
- Design for the real user. Low-bandwidth, mobile-first, local-language, with assisted channels such as agents, USSD and call centres where they matter.
- Budget for capability, not just software. Train frontline staff and citizens alongside every launch.
- Measure usage, not go-live. Adoption and completion rates are the KPIs that matter.
How we work
At Awesome Consultancy we treat localisation and capability-building as part of delivery, not optional extras. That is the difference between a platform that launches and a service people use.
Source: Uganda Digital Government Strategy, via Digital Watch Observatory.