UCC launches smartphone usage study as Uganda targets universal coverage by 2030
The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) has launched a nationwide study to assess smartphone usage and its impact on citizens, as the regulator works toward achieving full national network coverage by 2030.
The assessment will examine smartphone penetration rates, the cost of devices, and the barriers that continue to limit access to phone-based services, with findings expected to inform new interventions aimed at closing Uganda’s digital participation gap.
UCC figures show the pace of adoption accelerating sharply. Uganda had approximately 20 million smartphones in use by December 2025, up from 17.6 million just six months earlier, a jump of more than two million devices in half a year.
The growth reflects a broader shift in how Ugandans use mobile devices, which increasingly function as banking tools, learning platforms, business storefronts and, for a growing number of users, content-creation tools. The UCC study is expected to guide policy decisions balancing rising smartphone demand against affordability constraints that remain a barrier for large parts of the population, particularly in rural and lower-income areas.
Real ESG impact doesn’t happen in panels alone, it happens in the rooms where financiers, operators, and policymakers actually align. Our GreenShift Forum 2026 cuts the noise, bringing together the people rewiring Africa’s sustainability and energy frameworks for one focused day in Nairobi. Secure your seat.
Go to TECHTRENDSKE.ug for more tech and business news from the African continent and across the world.
Follow us on WhatsApp, Telegram, Twitter, and Facebook, or subscribe to our weekly newsletter to ensure you don’t miss out on any future updates. Send tips to info@techtrendsmedia.co.ke
