By Catherine Namuddu

National Information Technology Authority-Uganda (NITA-U) in collaboration with the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, has officially announced the upcoming launch of the National IP Peering Exchange (NIPX). The announcement was made at a press conference at Uganda Media Centre on Tuesday, April 14, 2026. The NIPX launch will take place during an awareness and engagement workshop on Friday, April 17, 2026 at Speke Resort Munyonyo, Kampala.

In his address, Hon. Godfrey Kabbyanga, Minister of State for ICT and National Guidance highlighted NIPX’s strategic importance. “Today marks a bold and historic milestone in Uganda’s digital journey. With the launch of the National IP Peering Exchange (NIPX), Uganda is taking a decisive step toward achieving true digital sovereignty. The ministry has fulfilled its role as an enabler, by working closely with NITA-U to deliver this critical national infrastructure, which will firmly position Uganda as a competitive ICT hub within the East African region,” he said.

Furthermore, Kabbyanga urged all Internet Service Providers, content providers and digital businesses to actively collaborate with the NIPX so the government and private sector can work together to build a faster, cheaper, more secure and resilient Internet for every Ugandan.

The minister’s remarks highlighted how the NIPX will attract investment, stimulate innovation, and create new economic opportunities, particularly for the youth and digital entrepreneurs.

The NIPX is Uganda’s first neutral and open Internet Exchange Point (IXP). It enables Internet Service Providers (ISPs), content providers, cloud platforms, data centres and government networks to exchange Internet traffic locally and efficiently within the country. By keeping local traffic local, the platform is expected to significantly reduce latency, lower the cost of Internet services, enhance network resilience, and strengthen Uganda’s digital sovereignty.

The launch represents a key deliverable, under the Digital Uganda Strategy and Vision 2040. It addresses long-standing inefficiencies, where even domestic internet traffic is routed through expensive international pathways before returning to Uganda, a situation that increases costs and reduces performance.

Representing the Executive Director NITA-U, Dr. Hatwib Mugasa the Director Technical Services, Mr. Richard Obita, provided technical insight into the platform.

“The NIPX has been deliberately designed under neutral ownership, where it is neither owned nor controlled by the government. Hence ensuring that no single entity holds controlling interest. This creates a genuine level playing field for all participants,” Obita said.

“Instead of routing local traffic, through expensive international carriers, networks can now interconnect directly within Uganda. This delivers three immediate benefits; significantly lower latency for faster user experience, reduced operational costs by minimising reliance on international bandwidth and greater reliability even during international link disruptions. For the ordinary Ugandan, this means smoother video calls, faster access to e-government services, improved online learning and eventually more affordable data packages,” he continued.

Speaking on behalf of the private sector, Chairman of the Internet Service Providers Association of Uganda (ISPAU), Mr. Godfrey Sserwamukoko, applauded the development saying, “On behalf of the Internet service industry, we commend the Ministry of ICT and NITA-U for this initiative. NIPX provides a neutral and open platform that has the potential to optimise local traffic exchange and bring meaningful cost efficiencies. We look forward to active collaboration, with all stakeholders, to ensure maximum participation, to realise the full benefits of faster and more affordable Internet services for businesses and citizens across Uganda.”

Lastly, NIPX operates on globally recognised best practices, open peering, non-discriminatory access and shared governance. NIPX infrastructure is of world-class standard; robust, secure, scalable and ready to meet the demands of Uganda’s growing digital economy. All eligible networks, both large and small, are warmly invited for the launch to connect and begin interacting on this national platform. It has been declared open for business.

The writer works for Uganda Media Centre