Uganda’s standout digital strength is mobile money. Global Findex data show East Africa among the world’s highest shares of adults using mobile-money services. Uganda is one of the regional leaders in this indicator; mobile wallets are widely used for payments, savings, and credit, underpinning much of the country’s consumer internet economy.
On the infrastructure side, Uganda has been an early regional mover in neutral data-centre quality and domestic backbone build-out. Raxio Uganda became the country’s first Uptime Institute Tier III–certified carrier-neutral facility in 2020 (at the time, one of fewer than 15 such neutral sites in Africa and only the second in East Africa). Kampala’s Uganda Internet eXchange Point (UIXP) localises traffic and promotes interconnection among domestic and international networks, supporting lower latency and costs. The government has also completed 4,387 km of national backbone fibre and launched Phase 5 to extend coverage further.
In digital public infrastructure, Uganda is among the earliest African adopters of real-time e-invoicing. Since 1 January 2021, VAT-registered firms must issue electronic invoices through URA’s EFRIS system, which has continued to expand in scope. These rails complement a maturing regulatory stack (e.g. National Payment Systems framework) and help formalise online commerce and services.
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Namibia’s digital profile is increasingly shaped by a push to modernise the state while catching up on legal safeguards. In the UN’s 2024 E-Government Development Index, Namibia scored 0.6007 and ranked 114th of 193, improving from 121st in 2022, but its strongest gains came in telecom infrastructure rather than e-participation.
The policy framework has become clearer in the past two years. The government’s National Digital Strategy 2025–2028 and MICT Strategic Plan 2025–2030 place digital public services, connectivity, digital skills, innovation, and regulation at the centre of Namibia’s development agenda. The official policy portal also lists the country’s core digital instruments, including the National Cybersecurity Strategy, National Broadband Policy, UAS Policy, and older sector policies for telecoms, postal services, and broadcasting.
The most consequential unresolved issue is data protection. Namibia’s digital economy has expanded without a verified standalone data protection law in force, even as government officials increasingly describe the Data Protection Bill as essential for protecting personal data and supporting digital services. Official statements in 2024–2025 said consultations were complete and that the bill was being prepared for, or expected to move through, Cabinet and then Parliament, making it one of the country’s most cross-cutting digital governance reforms.
Data governance rules for a digital future
Namibia’s long-discussed Data Protection Bill has become one of the country’s most consequential digital governance initiatives. For years, the digital economy expanded without a comprehensive personal-data law, even as online services, e-commerce, and digital government systems grew. By 2024–2026, officials increasingly framed the bill as essential to safeguarding people’s online lives and strengthening trust in digital services. If adopted, it would establish baseline rules for the collection, use, sharing, and protection of personal data across both public and private sectors. Its scope could affect multiple domains at once, from digital ID and AI deployment to fintech and cybersecurity response. Government representatives have described the bill as a cornerstone of Namibia’s digital transformation agenda. Yet the legislative process has moved slowly, reflecting both the complexity of the issue and the need to balance innovation, security, and fundamental rights.
Cybersecurity is moving in parallel, but more controversially. Namibia has an official National Cybersecurity Strategy, an Awareness Raising Plan on the books, and the Cybercrime Bill 2026. Together, these show a state trying to build a fuller cyber governance architecture, but also one entering the familiar tension between stronger cyber powers and the need to protect rights such as privacy and freedom of expression.
In terms of digital infrastructure, Namibia is relatively well-positioned by regional standards. The government reported 4G population coverage of 88.4% in 2025/26, while major submarine cable investments have given the country two key international links: WACS, which landed in Swakopmund in 2011, and Equiano, activated through Telecom Namibia in 2024 after landing in 2022. CRAN’s 5G Strategy 2023–2027 adds a next-generation mobile roadmap to that infrastructure base.
Namibia’s wider digital economy and emerging-tech landscape remain more enabling than prescriptive. The Electronic Transactions Act provides the legal backbone for e-commerce, electronic signatures, electronic evidence, and consumer protection in online commerce, but I could not verify a standalone AI strategy or cloud policy. Instead, AI, cloud, and other 4IR technologies are primarily addressed through broader digital and infrastructure strategies, alongside the Access to Information Act and its 2024 regulations, which strengthen transparency in digital governance.
Namibia’s Permanent Mission in Geneva represents the country to the UN Office at Geneva and other international organisations based there. It serves as Namibia’s diplomatic channel for multilateral work on issues such as human rights, trade, health, development, and disarmament, while also maintaining bilateral and consular functions through its representation in Geneva. The UN Geneva Blue Book lists the mission at Allée David-Morse 8, 1202 Geneva, with its official website and contact details.
Norway boasts one of the world’s most reliable and widespread broadband services. High-speed internet is widely accessible, even in remote areas. This connectivity is a cornerstone of Norway’s digital economy, facilitating everything from e-commerce to remote working. The country is a hub for innovation, particularly in areas such as maritime technologies, energy, and ICT. Oslo, Norway’s capital, is often considered a hotspot for startups, particularly tech startups that benefit from robust government support and access to a highly skilled workforce.
Norway’s approach to internet governance is characterised by a high degree of regulation in favour of privacy and data protection. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), as adopted by Norway through the European Economic Area (EEA) agreement, is a key component of its regulatory framework.The government’s overall vision is that the internet needs to continue to be an open and free arena where everyone can freely give and receive information and where human rights are protected.
Norway actively participates in international dialogues on internet governance. Norwegian stakeholders are active participants in various internet governance forums and initiatives at the regional and global levels. Norwegian stakeholders also participate in the European Dialogue on Internet Governance (EuroDIG) events, which bring together stakeholders from the region to discuss digital policy-related issues and challenges. At the global level, Norwegian stakeholders participate in the Internet Governance Forum (IGF).
In June 2025, Norway will host the 20th Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Lillestrøm, marking the forum’s 20th anniversary. This event will bring together over 4,000 participants from governments, civil society, academia, and the private sector to discuss the future of the internet. The overarching theme is ‘Building Digital Governance Together’.
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Pakistan’s digital policy stack is anchored by the Digital Pakistan Policy (2018), with cybersecurity and platform rules layered on top, and a new National Artificial Intelligence Policy 2025 now approved by the federal cabinet. Together, they set direction for skills, data, cloud adoption and sectoral digitisation, while signalling a push to scale AI use across government and industry.
Connectivity rests on multiple subsea cables landing at Karachi (AAE-1, IMEWE, SEA-ME-WE-4/5, TW1, PEACE), with Africa-1 newly landed in 2025 to add capacity and route diversity toward the Middle East, Africa and Europe. These international links feed national backbones and data centres, and help mitigate the impact of periodic regional cable faults.
Pakistan’s digital public infrastructure also includes a large biometric ID system and Asaan Mobile Account, which opened 10 million mobile accounts (≈40% women-owned), expanding inclusion. Notably, Pakistan is among the top global suppliers of online freelance talent: Oxford-linked research cited by Fairwork finds Pakistan has the third-largest population of professionals in global cloudwork—an area where the country ranks among the world’s leaders.
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