Internet use in Uganda is no longer about access alone. With mobile penetration deepening and social media habits evolving, Ugandans are shifting from casual browsing to fully integrating the internet into their socio-economic lives.
The country’s digital habits are changing fast, reflecting both rising connectivity and new cultural behaviour.
As of January 2025, Uganda had approximately 14.2 million internet users, representing an estimated 28 percent penetration, up slightly from 13.3 million (27 percent) the previous year, according to DataReportal.
The surge is primarily mobile driven. Over the years, mobile phone subscriptions have been on a steady upward trend, with total subscriptions increasing from 33.1 million in 2022, to 37 million in 2023 and 41.6 million in 2024.
By mid-2025, Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) data indicated 44.3 million active mobile subscriptions, with 17.6 million smartphones in use alongside 16.5 million mobile internet subscriptions.
Beyond the growing numbers, what stands out is the evolution in behaviour. Ugandans are no longer going online for occasional tasks. The internet is becoming a place where more of daily life happens.
Evolving patterns
As telecom companies race to expand digital infrastructure and the country advances its national digital vision, more Ugandans are going online.
Between April and June 2025, Ugandans downloaded 254.1 million gigabytes (GB) of data, up from the previous quarter. On average, a user consumes 5.1 GB per month, up from 4.3 GB in quarter one.
The surge in data consumption is reflective of the transitional trends in how people are utilising their time online.
Globally, the key usage patterns driving data growth are video streaming, accounting for up to 70 percent composition, followed by social media, online gaming, web browsing, cloud apps and software updates. Uganda has not been any different.
‘Video streaming both short form and long form has grown rapidly, accounting for a large share of mobile data usage,’ says Joseph Kimbowa, chief content officer at HiPipo.
For many Ugandans, the rise in video consumption is simply part of daily habit. ‘These days I do not even wait for TV. If a match is on, I stream it from my phone,’ says Moses Kayemba, a 28 year old retailer in Ntinda. ‘The bundles go fast, but it’s the only way to keep up.’
As video platforms dominate online activity, telecoms are seeing a surge in both usage and revenue.
MTN Uganda’s senior manager communications, public relations and stakeholder management, Rhona Arinaitwe reports that video accounts for 34 percent of MTN’s total data traffic, with TikTok alone consuming 70 percent, followed by YouTube at 19 percent, Instagram, YoTV, and Netflix at 2 percent respectively and others at 5 percent.
Acknowledging video content as the biggest driver of data usage, David Birungi, public relations manager at Airtel Uganda, highlights that the data segment is still shaping the telecom’s growth story, with an overall revenue growth of 30.4 percent.
The rise of fintechs, mobile transactions, and digital payments is also fueling internet usage. Statistics indicate that the number of active users on mobile banking increased by 6.5 percent from 1.94 million in June 2024 to 2.1 million in June 2025.
For small business owners, the shift is already part of daily operations. ‘Most of my customers prefer mobile transactions. I hardly touch cash during the week,’ says Gloria Apio, who runs a hybrid clothing and tailoring shop.’
According to Bank of Uganda, the transaction volume notably increased by 20.9 percent from 27.9 million transactions to 33.7 million transactions in the same period. The transaction values also increased by 39.4 percent from Shs11.1 trillion to Shs15.5 trillion.
Uganda has 34 million active mobile money accounts and registered 2.18 billion mobile money transactions, according to the GSMA Digital Economy Report. Furthermore, MTN’s internal data also shows strong fintech growth, with fintech users rising from 6 percent to 13.3 million in 2025-reflecting deeper adoption of digital financial services.
Alongside commerce, there is growing uptake of digital services that extend beyond social media and entertainment. E-learning platforms, e-health services, e-government applications, and remote business tools are reshaping how Ugandans access education, healthcare and work-making the internet an essential tool for both personal and professional life.
The surge in internet usage has had tangible consequences for both telecom operators and consumers. Across the telecom sector, data subscriptions, smartphone usage and revenues are rising sharply as video traffic, mobile money adoption and wider network coverage expand.
Arinaitwe illustrates that MTN has grown its market share to 22 million subscribers, up 13.2 percent. Data subscriptions have increased by 30.5 percent, while fintech subscribers have grown by 13.9 percent.
She adds that smartphone adoption on the network has risen by 30.1 percent supported by MTN’s device financing strategy bringing smartphone penetration to 44.9 percent.
Airtel Uganda has posted similarly strong growth, with its customer base increasing by 14.7 percent and data users by 25.9 percent. The company recorded overall revenue growth of 30.4 percent, driven largely by increased data consumption.
With expansion initiatives and partnerships to deepen device financing and internet penetration, Airtel’s average monthly active users on the MyAirtel platform now stand at 1.25 million, reflecting rising engagement with mobile services.
‘Our focus is on driving data growth across our markets by promoting wider smartphone adoption and network expansion. Overall data traffic surged by 57.4 percent, supported by ongoing investments in network coverage and upgrades,’ Birungi says.
Telecoms are grappling with heavy bandwidth consumption, network congestion, and the rising demand for real-time performance.
MTN notes that ultra low latency requirements for live sports, gaming and virtual meetings continue to strain existing infrastructure.
‘Maintaining service quality for millions of concurrent users calls for dynamic scaling, advanced load balancing, and proactive monitoring.’ Arinaitwe says.
Despite rising connectivity, usage remains uneven-leaving fertile ground for a widening digital divide. Urban centres account for most online activity, while fewer than 10 percent of rural residents access the internet on a regular basis.
Kimbowa also argues that the rise in digital finance and social platforms has sparked a surge in cyber fraud, online scams, crime, and misinformation.
To address these challenges, telecom operators are investing heavily in infrastructure and advanced technologies. MTN is expanding cloud infrastructure and Content-Delivery Networks (CDNs) to ensure faster video distribution and reduce buffering. Today, 50 percent of MTN’s internet traffic is routed through CDNs.
The company is also rolling out 5G-now with 538 sites, and expanding fibre and fixed broadband solutions to ease pressure on mobile networks and deliver more reliable high quality streaming.
Airtel maintains nationwide 4G coverage and is working to eliminate remaining gaps. Network upgrades and WiFi solutions have strengthened service quality, enabling high speed access for entertainment and fintech services.
On digital safety, Airtel says its AI powered spam fighting system, launched in April 2025, has labelled over 40 million spam SMS messages-part of its effort to curb fraud across the region.
What’s next?
Uganda’s internet landscape is poised for further growth, driven by infrastructural initiatives and restructuring. As connectivity improves, Ugandans are expected to engage more deeply with video, e-commerce, fintech, and digital services, making the internet an even more integral part of daily life.
For Kimbowa, the next phase is clear. ‘Uganda must prioritise digital literacy, affordable rural broadband, and support for small businesses to create low-data, mobile-friendly services.’
With satellite internet options like Starlink entering the market and fintech accelerating, he says the future will ‘expand access but also require smarter regulation and stronger infrastructure.’