Business 24 August 2026 Nile Post
Northern Corridor Nations Forge Ahead on Joint Projects to Lower Business Costs
Four East African nations are revitalizing efforts to expedite joint infrastructure projects aimed at reducing trade expenses and enhancing cross-border movement of goods and people. Source: https://nilepost.co.ug/news/366328/northern-corridor-states-push-regional-projects-to-cut-cost-of-doing-business
Officials from Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, and South Sudan convened in Kampala to boost the progress of the Northern Corridor Integration Projects (NCIPs). The meeting focused on assessing the advancement of regional initiatives and tackling hurdles that impede their implementation.
Ambassador Richard Kabonero, Uganda’s National Coordinator for NCIPs, highlighted the framework’s objective: to accelerate projects in key sectors like ICT, electricity transmission, roads, and customs, ultimately lowering the cost of doing business.
Significant strides have been made in areas such as the Standard Gauge Railway, the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), and digital connectivity. Kabonero noted the recent connection of a fiber optic cable between Uganda and Rwanda, and ongoing efforts to supply electricity to Rwanda and improve road links with South Sudan.
Despite progress, challenges related to differing national budget cycles and financing mechanisms have slowed some projects. “We are addressing those,” Kabonero assured, emphasizing the commitment to finding solutions.
Uganda’s Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, Dr. Aminah Zawedde, detailed progress in the ICT cluster, particularly the ‘One Network Area’ initiative. This has effectively harmonized communication costs across the four countries, treating cross-border calls like domestic ones, thereby reducing business expenses and strengthening regional ties.
Future plans include a feasibility study for a regional satellite, with resource mobilization already underway. The ICT sector is also exploring regional cybersecurity projects, though funding remains a key requirement for their realization.
The overarching goal is for the partner states to function more cohesively as a single region, leveraging economies of scale for greater collective impact.
The Kampala meeting also served as preparation for the upcoming 15th NCIPs Summit, slated to be hosted by Rwanda in Kigali. This summit aims to finalize outstanding projects and resolve implementation bottlenecks. A National Coordinators’ Report will be finalized and signed to guide discussions at the Kigali summit.