Week Two of the 8th iPRIS Cohort in Stockholm, Sweden, was successfully completed from 20 - 24 April. Telecom experts from Liberia Telecommunications Authority(LTA), Information and Communications Technologies Authority (ICTA), Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN), National Communications Authority (NatCA), Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA), Postal & Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ), advanced from foundational concepts into applied strategies for inclusive digital transformation. The sessions built on Week One’s systems thinking and institutional frameworks, moving into practical discussions on harmonisation, broadband mapping, spectrum management, project evaluation, and regional collaboration.

According to GSMA (2024) mobile broadband coverage in Sub‑Saharan Africa now reaches over 87% of the population, showing remarkable progress in infrastructure expansion across the region, reflecting significant progress in infrastructure expansion. The challenge ahead lies in translating this coverage into affordable access and meaningful usage, a task that requires strong regulatory capacity and innovative policy design.

Throughout the week, experts from iPRIS implementing partners, including the Swedish Program for ICT in Developing Regions (SPIDER) and the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS), guided participants through interactive exchanges and case studies. Highlights included:

• Regional harmonisation efforts, with CRASA, WATRA, and EACO sharing lessons from postal quality of service projects, roaming agreements, and ICT data banks.
• Broadband mapping and data‑driven planning, showcasing Sweden’s granular address‑level model as a benchmark for measuring coverage and usage gaps.
• Spectrum management and transparency, emphasising allocation for societal benefit and the importance of openness in regulatory decisions.
• Project evaluation through the MEAL framework (Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning), enabling participants to refine Change Initiatives with clear outputs, outcomes, and impacts.
• Private‑sector insights from Ernst & Young (EY), reinforcing the role of structured evaluation, risk management, and transparent reporting in sustaining institutional credibility.

By weaving together technical detail, regional experience, and practical project design, Week Two reinforced that effective regulation is not only about frameworks and policies but also about execution, accountability, and collaboration across sectors.

Day 1: Protecting users and embedding inclusion

Lisa Gurner of PTS walked the cohort through the European Electronic Communications Code (EECC), explaining how its scope has expanded beyond traditional consumer protection. Vulnerable groups such as small enterprises, non‑profits, and citizens with limited digital literacy are now explicitly considered. This shift reflects a recognition that digital inclusion is not just about access, but about ensuring fairness and safety for those least able to navigate complex markets. She emphasised that regulation must evolve with society’s needs.

Her framing encouraged participants to think about their own national contexts: who is left behind, and how can regulators extend protection without stifling innovation?

In the afternoon, the conversation then moved to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), led by Caroline Wamala and Malena Liendholm Ndounou of SPIDER. They challenged regulators to look inward, stressing that institutional culture shapes external outcomes.

This provocation sparked candid reflections. Participants discussed how unconscious bias within regulatory bodies can filter into policy decisions, whether in licensing, consumer protection, or enforcement. The facilitators illustrated this with global examples such as  Estonia’s secure digital ID system, which empowers elderly citizens to access services confidently, and Kenya’s cybersecurity frameworks, which build trust among users who might otherwise be excluded.

Day 2: Refining change initiatives

On the second day, the emphasis shifted from external frameworks to refining each NRA’s Change Initiative. Country teams sat down with European experts to discuss their ideas relating them to the practical realities and received targeted feedback on design, scope, and feasibility. These discussions helped participants sharpen their project logic and identify where adjustments were needed. The dialogue was constructive, with experts encouraging teams to embed lessons from the previous sessions.

DAY 3: Industry perspectives from Ericsson

On the third day, the cohort stepped out of the seminar room and into industry practice with a field visit to Ericsson. The experience offered a first‑hand look at how private‑sector actors approach connectivity, resilience, and innovation. Participants were introduced to demonstrations of emerging technologies, from next‑generation mobile networks to solutions designed to strengthen reliability in underserved areas. The visit emphasised the interplay between regulation and market development.

Day 4: Harmonisation, broadband mapping, and spectrum management

Day four marked a turning point in the program, as the cohort moved into the week's most technical discussions. Moderated by Katerina Schyberg, the sessions combined European regulatory experience with African perspectives, showing how harmonisation, broadband mapping, and spectrum management are not abstract policy debates but practical tools for expanding opportunity and building trust in digital systems.

Harmonisation and technology neutrality

Bo Andersson from PTS emphasised the need for EU harmonisation, stating that fragmented implementation hinders innovation and imposes burdens on regulators.

The proposed Digital Networks Act was discussed as a way to centralise regulation, though concerns about clarity and national sovereignty in spectrum authorisation remained. African regulators highlighted their challenge of being “technology receivers” and stressed the importance of participating actively in global standard‑setting to protect consumers.

Broadband mapping as a tool for inclusion

The discussion then shifted to broadband mapping, where Sweden’s model was presented by Andreas Wigren and Jens Ingman. They explained that PTS collects granular address‑level data from hundreds of operators, enabling precise measurement of coverage and progress toward national targets. They urged regulators to think beyond national silos and adopt frameworks that allow technology to evolve freely.

Participants compared their own practices, noting gaps in usage data and the need for more detailed household‑level information.

Spectrum Management and Transparency

The day concluded with a spectrum management session led by Amela Hatibovic Sehic, Gustav Lenninger, and Fredrik Johansson. They outlined Sweden’s framework for licensing, supervision, and auctions, emphasising strategies such as international harmonisation, spectrum planning, rights of use, and sharing.

Amela Hatibovic Sehic underscored the principle that “spectrum must be allocated to maximise benefit for society, not just profit for the treasury.” 

Gustav Lenninger reinforced the importance of transparency, noting that openness in licensing decisions builds trust and encourages innovation.

Examples of refarming, such as reallocating the 700 MHz band from television to mobile, illustrated how regulators adapt to evolving needs. Auctions were described not as revenue‑generating exercises but as mechanisms to promote competition, coverage, and innovation.

Day 5: Regional Dialogue and Project Refinement

Day five brought together regional perspectives, project evaluation, and private‑sector insights. The morning opened with a session led by Malena Liedholm, who introduced the MEAL framework (Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning) as a practical tool for refining Change Initiatives. She guided participants to see evaluation not as a static report but as a continuous learning process that strengthens impact.

With this basis, the NRAs applied the MEAL lens to their project plans, clarifying outputs, outcomes, and impacts while testing assumptions and embedding accountability structures.

Building on this foundation, representatives from the Regional Regulatory Organisations (RROs), CRASA, WATRA, and EACO shared lessons from harmonisation projects. These included CRASA’s work on postal quality of service frameworks, WATRA’s efforts to establish roaming agreements across West Africa, and EACO’s initiative to build an ICT data bank for the East African region. By sharing harmonisation projects, CRASA demonstrated that collective approaches not only strengthen service quality but also give regulators the tools to engage stakeholders with credibility. Together, these examples showed how regional collaboration strengthens national capacity and provides tested models for evidence‑based decision‑making.

The day closed with a brief visit to Ernst & Young (EY), offering a private‑sector perspective on governance and accountability.

From knowledge-exchange to Change Initiatives

Week 2 highlighted that effective regulation is built on evidence, accountability, and collaboration through frameworks such as MEAL, regional harmonisation projects, and private‑sector perspectives on governance. The cohort’s progress shows that regulators are not only absorbing concepts but actively applying them to their own initiatives.

Collaboration emerged as a central theme, reminding participants that regional progress depends on collective responsibility. 

This forward‑looking perspective highlights the urgency of translating frameworks into enforceable action. Building on this momentum, Week 3 will be dedicated to intensive work on the NRA change initiatives and the Way Forward session. These sessions will not only refine Change Initiatives but will also mark the end of the first phase of the iPRIS cycle for the 8th cohort.

iPRIS is coordinated and implemented by SPIDER in strategic and technical partnership with the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS) and Institut luxembourgeois de régulation (ILR), as well as ARTAC, CRASA, EACO, and WATRA.

iPRIS is funded by the European Union, Sweden, and Luxembourg as part of the Team Europe Initiative “D4D for Digital Economy and Society in Sub-Saharan Africa” (Code: 001).

Last week marked the end of Week One of the 8th iPRIS Cohort peer-to-peer learning programme in Stockholm, Sweden. Telecom experts from Liberia Telecommunications Authority(LTA), Information and Communications Technologies Authority (ICTA), Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN), National Communications Authority (NatCA), Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA), Postal & Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ), convened to strengthen their regulatory capacity and advance digital transformation across Sub-Saharan Africa.

According to GSMA (2024), Sub-Saharan Africa remains the region with the lowest connectivity levels and the most extensive coverage and usage gaps, with 27% connected, a coverage gap of 13%, and a usage gap of 60%. This report highlights the need for African telecom experts to strengthen their regulatory capacity so as to bridge these gaps and advance inclusive digital connectivity.

Throughout the week, participants engaged in interactive discussion sessions led by experts from iPRIS implementing partners, including the Swedish Program for ICT in Developing Regions  SPIDER and the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS). Progressively, the sessions transitioned from foundational concepts in systems thinking and regulation to more applied discussions on institutional frameworks and the practical design of Change Initiatives (CIs).

Day 1: Change initiatives and project management for effective regulatory change

The first day of the programme focused on grounding participants in their Change Initiatives and an afternoon project management session to strengthen and enable effective regulatory change.

Each National Regulatory Authority introduced its change initiatives, including quality of service, Digital inclusion for people with disabilities, Cybersecurity, Market regulation, and Spectrum management. In detail, the NRAs outlined their core focus, gaps, challenges, and scope, and received feedback from not only telecom experts from PTS and SPIDER but also fellow NRAs. This peer exchange reinforced one of the core strengths of iPRIS collaborative regulatory learning across regions. Key frameworks such as Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) were mentioned, highlighting iPRIS's commitment to digital inclusivity. 

Structuring change through project management

Building on the CIs' presentations, Malena Liendholm Ndounou (SPIDER) led the participants through a project management session, shifting the focus to practical implementation. The session introduced key tools, including a project management plan, which will help them ensure effective execution of these projects so they not only meet their objectives but also advance digital inclusivity in Sub-Saharan Africa. As Malena emphasised:

A central message from the session was that successful regulatory projects depend not only on technical expertise, but also on how clearly the problem is defined and how realistically the solution is designed. Malena further emphasised success factors beyond traditional results-based management, highlighting focus, simplicity, faith, and structured planning as essential elements for driving sustainable regulatory change.

Day 2: JEO institutional and legal frameworks

Day 2 shifted focus toward the institutional and legal frameworks shaping telecom regulation in Sweden and the broader European context.

Legal experts Per Andersson and Antonia Wopenka from PTS introduced participants to the Swedish constitutional system, the structure of government institutions, and PTS's role as an independent regulatory authority. The discussion also explored how public financing, accountability structures, and institutional independence shape regulatory effectiveness.

A key emphasis was placed on the principle of independence in regulatory work.

 This reinforced the importance of safeguarding regulatory decisions from external influence in order to maintain credibility, fairness, and consistency in enforcement.

Complementing this perspective, Antonia Wopenka highlighted Sweden’s strong legal culture of openness and accountability, particularly in public administration. He stated:

 “Transparency and access are the rule, and secrecy is the exception. Official documents should be accessible to all, and secrecy must always be grounded in law.” 

Given that the EU forms the foundation of regulation in Sweden, a session on the overview of the EU, how it works and how Sweden navigates in the EU was insightful.

Secure communications, Digital identity wallet, and Cybersecurity

Digital connectivity is fundamentally about communications, particularly secure communications. Building on these, the second half of the day focused on emerging priorities in digital regulation.

Jesper Svedberg from PTS presented on secure communications and telecom preparedness, highlighting the importance of resilience, emergency readiness, and international cooperation in ensuring continuity of communication services during crises.

A session on the European Digital Identity Wallet by Per-Erik Vitasp illustrated how regulatory systems are evolving to support seamless, secure access to key national services across banking, healthcare, travel, and government platforms. By reducing reliance on repeated identity verification, the system represents a shift toward interoperable and user-centred digital governance.

The day concluded with a cybersecurity session by Gustav Söderlind. Cybersecurity has been an emerging threat to the telecom sector, and this session helped share insights into how regulatory frameworks aim to curb cybersecurity risks. Through the PTS regulations and the EU’s influence on cybersecurity policies, cybersecurity has been viewed as a question of digital resilience, regulatory oversight, and cross-border trust, reflecting the increasing interconnectedness of modern telecom systems.

Day 3: Project management and inclusive regulation

As the week progressed, participants began to strengthen and refine their CIs through deeper engagement with project management methodologies. Malena Liedholm Ndounou (SPIDER) emphasised the importance of strategic planning.

This was reinforced by the introduction of a structured seven-stage project cycle that guides participants through problem identification, objective setting, outcome definition, indicator selection, resource planning, stakeholder mapping, implementation, and MEAL.

Through case scenarios and examples from European Union and SPIDER-led projects, participants were encouraged to think critically about how regulatory ideas translate into real-world implementation. 

DEI remained central to the discussions. The importance of inclusive regulatory design was highlighted, ensuring that digital transformation initiatives consider underserved communities, accessibility, and broader social equity dimensions throughout the implementation stages of a project. This was further echoed in reflections on budgeting and equity, with the reminder that:

“There is no such thing as a neutral budget, and a budget that does not seek to balance or to reduce inequalities will by definition contribute to reinforcing existing inequalities.” - Malena Liedholm Ndounou (SPIDER)  

This day also included a field visit to the PTS, providing participants with practical exposure to the regulatory environment discussed in theory. 

Day 4: Advancing telecom regulation: Numbering, spectrum and pricing 

As the week drew to a close, participants continued to attend technical sessions on JEO numbering and spectrum management, deepening their understanding of telecom systems and regulatory evolution.

Discussions on numbering systems highlighted how traditional geographically bound structures are evolving into more flexible, user-centric frameworks driven by mobile technology. These shifts reflect broader changes in how communication services are structured and regulated in increasingly digital societies. 

At the same time, participants explored challenges such as identity manipulation and fraud. A growing concern was the rise of SMS-based fraud, as criminals increasingly shifted from voice spoofing. This highlighted the need for continuously adaptive regulatory responses to emerging risks.

Another key discussion focused on telecom pricing regulation, where structured cost models were presented as tools to ensure that operators recover investment and operating costs while maintaining fair and sustainable market conditions.

Day 5: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI)

iPRIS is committed to shaping an inclusive, digitally empowered future; hence, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are central to the regulations. Marking the end of week one, the participants indulged in sessions on DEI led by SPIDER experts, Malena Liendholm Ndounou and Caroline Wamala Larsson.

Throughout the morning sessions, participants explored various concepts and frameworks in DEI. Starting with intersectionality, Caroline Wamala Larsson emphasised that inequality cannot be understood through gender alone but multiple identities, including age, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, race, and religion, intersect to shape individuals’ access to resources, opportunities, and digital inclusion. 

“Just as there's a gender digital divide, there's also an age divide, a race or ethnicity divide, and even a geographic divide. Many of you have talked about the rural divide in terms of how many people are actually online. So these divides also need to be considered because resources are not only about women, but also about age.” - Caroline Wamala Larsson(SPIDER)

On equity, Malena noted that having the same rights does not necessarily mean having the same opportunities. The participants explored ways to address barriers to equity, including affordability, digital literacy, relevance, safety, and security.

“Having the same rights does not necessarily translate into having the same opportunities. Equity is about targeted needs-based support.”  - Malena Liendholm Ndounou(SPIDER)

The session on DEI ended with an emphasis on regulators' roles in designing inclusive systems, particularly in sectors like telecommunications, to ensure inclusion and accessibility for all, including people with disabilities. Key examples included assistive technologies such as wheelchair-accessible ATMs, audio-supported interfaces, and Braille. The session highlighted the need to proactively create inclusive environments, recognising that disability is not always permanent or visible, as ageing can lead to conditions like low vision, loss of fingerprints, or limited mobility. 

SPIDER Projects: Advancing Inclusive Digital Solutions 

The afternoon sessions explored SPIDER’s role in inclusive development. Edna Soomre, JohnBlack Kabukye, and Katja Sarajeva introduced SPIDER’s projects. The projects were anchored in a human-centred approach to technology, as emphasised by Edna Soomre.

SPIDER has been working on inclusive digital and health innovation projects to strengthen access to essential services and build institutional capacity. Through initiatives such as Health Alliance for Digital Development and Action (HADDA) and HoliCare, SPIDER supports the development and localisation of healthcare solutions, including improved access to diagnostics and the integration of technology with training for health workers to enhance patient outcomes. 

The sessions also highlighted broader digital governance considerations, including capacity-building approaches such as EU Twinning programmes that support collaboration between government institutions and international partners to address development needs.

Conclusion

Week One of the 8th iPRIS Cohort established a strong foundation for the telecom experts in Stockholm. Across the sessions, participants progressed from conceptual discussions of regulation to a more applied understanding of how policy frameworks, institutional structures, and technological change interact in practice. The week consistently emphasised the need to translate regulatory intent into actionable, measurable, and context-sensitive interventions. 

A key insight that emerged was the evolving nature of telecom ecosystems, in which traditional systems are being reshaped by digital transformation, while new risks demand adaptive and forward-looking regulatory frameworks. In this context, Dr Caroline Wamala Larsson (SPIDER) emphasised the importance of trust and safety in digital transformation.

This was complemented by Katja Sarajeva (SPIDER), who highlighted the inherent trade-offs in digital systems.

Week One, therefore, marked the start of a deeper process of refining Change Initiatives into practical solutions that can strengthen digital inclusion and regulatory effectiveness across Sub-Saharan Africa.

iPRIS is coordinated and implemented by SPIDER in strategic and technical partnership with the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS) and Institut luxembourgeois de régulation (ILR), as well as ARTAC, CRASA, EACO, and WATRA.

iPRIS is funded by the European Union, Sweden, and Luxembourg as part of the Team Europe Initiative “D4D for Digital Economy and Society in Sub-Saharan Africa” (Code: 001).

By Prof. Caroline Wamala-Larsson 

Having lived in Sweden for more than two decades, I have seen what coordinated telecommunications policy can achieve. 

I remember arriving late one winter evening in Brussels for a conference. The city was unfamiliar, the streets quiet, and I was unsure how to get to my hotel. Standing at the station, I called my husband in Stockholm. Using online maps, he guided me step by step until I arrived safely. Across Europe, connectivity follows the user, not the border. Whether travelling from Sweden to Norway or further south to Spain, my phone works as if I never left home. Calls cost the same, networks are seamless, and the experience is largely invisible.

This is not accidental. It is the result of regulatory cooperation across borders and countries choosing to prioritise affordable, reliable connectivity for their citizens. In many parts of Africa, particularly along border regions, the reality is very different.

Across sub-Saharan Africa, border communities function as shared social and economic spaces rather than clear divides. Trade, family ties, and daily movement flow across boundaries that were colonially imposed rather than socially defined. Yet mobile networks do not reflect this reality. Phones frequently latch onto foreign signals without warning, triggering roaming charges or service disruptions. For many, this is not just inconvenient it is costly.

Consider Nana Mensah, a small bakery owner in Aflao, a town along the Ghana–Togo border. Her business relies heavily on mobile connectivity to coordinate with customers, place orders with suppliers, and manage deliveries. Yet even within a small radius, her phone may connect to a neighbouring country’s network instead.

The impact goes beyond her alone. Her customers struggle to reach her, orders are delayed or missed, and communication with suppliers of key ingredients becomes inconsistent. Transport arrangements become harder to coordinate, especially when timing is critical. Over time, these disruptions translate into fluctuating orders, unpredictable sales, and reduced business stability.

Each unintended network switch brings additional costs, but more importantly, it introduces uncertainty into a business that depends on reliability. 

Similar dynamics play out across East Africa. For cross-border traders in Busia, transport operators in Namanga, or small businesses operating along regional corridors, connectivity is not optional it is a lifeline. It enables mobile payments, access to market information,  coordination of  medical teams. When networks fail or become expensive, productivity is directly affected.

From 9 to 12 March 2026, telecom regulators and experts convened in Accra, Ghana, under the iPRIS peer-to-peer programme, building on earlier exchanges held in Sweden in November 2025. The convening brought together national regulatory authorities from across Africa alongside regional bodies and international partners.

A key takeaway was clear: while mobile network coverage has expanded significantly across the continent, affordability and reliability particularly in border regions remain uneven. Encouragingly, practical solutions are emerging.

In Ghana, telecom regulators from the National Communication Authority-Ghana translated this challenge into a consumer awareness pilot in Aflao, helping residents understand how to configure their phones to avoid unintended cross-border roaming. 

At a broader level, regional cooperation is beginning to reshape the landscape. In Southern Africa, the One Network Area (ONA) framework is demonstrating what is possible when regulators align. Countries including Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Malawi have begun harmonising roaming tariffs, with reductions ranging from 10% to over 90% across voice, data, and SMS services. Early evidence suggests that lower prices can drive higher usage, offsetting potential revenue losses.

Closer to home, the East African Community’s ONA initiative has also made progress, significantly reducing roaming costs by treating cross-border communication within partner states almost as local calls. For businesses operating across Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and beyond, this has begun to ease the cost of staying connected.

What is needed now is a more intentional shift: from isolated reforms to fully integrated regional connectivity frameworks. First, regulators must accelerate harmonisation across regional blocs to ensure consistency in pricing, service quality, and consumer protection. Fragmentation undermines progress.

Second, policy must reflect the lived realities of border communities. Connectivity is experienced differently across gender, age, and income levels. For informal traders and small enterprises, even small cost fluctuations can have significant consequences.

Third, connectivity must be recognised as economic infrastructure. Cross-border trade, digital finance, and regional integration all depend on reliable communication. Addressing roaming challenges is therefore central to unlocking intra-African trade.

Finally, multi-stakeholder collaboration will be key. Regulators, telecom operators, regional organisations, and development partners must align to scale solutions.

Because connectivity is not only about communication it is also about safety, dignity, and participation.The ability to reach someone whether for business, emergency support, or simple reassurance should never depend on whether your phone has crossed into another network.

Watch more insights from Prof. Caroline alongside Norah Sitati from EACO  below

The iPRIS programme enters its second year with the launch of the eighth cohort, bringing together regulators from Liberia, Namibia, Mauritius, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe, and Tanzania. From 13th April 2026 to 29th April 2026, the regulators will spend three weeks in Stockholm, Sweden, to collaborate, implement their change initiatives, refine national reform plans, and exchange lessons to strengthen Africa’s digital future. They will also be joined by other telecom experts from regional regulatory organisations (RROs): the East African Communications Organisation (EACO), the Communications Regulators’ Association of Southern Africa (CRASA), and the West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly (WATRA), who will share lessons from regional cooperation frameworks.

The digital divide in Sub-Saharan Africa

Over the past decade, Sub‑Saharan Africa has shown remarkable growth in digital access. Internet use has continued to rise, with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) estimating that by 2025 around 36% of the region’s population was online. Mobile broadband has been the main driver of this progress, and the GSMA reports that more than 400 million people in Africa now use mobile internet, a figure expected to grow as 4G and 5G networks expand.

However, the digital divide still needs to be bridged; millions remain offline, particularly in rural areas where affordability and digital skills remain barriers. This gap is not just about connectivity; it is about access to education, healthcare, financial services, and opportunities that depend on being digitally included.

iPRIS aims to advance telecom regulation in Sub-Saharan Africa to improve the aforementioned sectors. By equipping regulators with the tools to design inclusive policies, manage spectrum effectively, and promote affordable access, iPRIS helps ensure that connectivity gains translate into real opportunities for citizens. Progress is being made, but reaching the goal of universal access will require sustained collaboration, and iPRIS is part of that journey.

Expanding the network: A growing community of regulators

Since its inception in November 2023, the iPRIS programme has evolved into a dynamic platform for peer learning and regional cooperation. Initially a pilot initiative and a successor of the ITP program, it has now supported over 120 telecom regulators across 33 African countries, advancing inclusive, evidence-based approaches to ICT policy and regulation.

iPRIS has convened cohorts in Europe and Africa, each contributing to a broader knowledge ecosystem. Regulators have shared best practices, piloted reforms, and built sustainable partnerships, accelerating the continent’s digital transformation. With the Lusophone cycle in the planning phase this year, the iPRIS network will continue to connect major NRAs across Sub-Saharan Africa to achieve their regulatory objectives, both nationally and regionally. 

With the eighth cohort, iPRIS further expands its footprint, adding new experiences and perspectives from participants. This collaborative model has engaged over 200 telecom experts, strengthening institutional capacity, improving policy coherence, and bridging regional divides in digital governance. By 2028, the programme aims to have trained over 300 regulators from 43 National Regulatory Authorities, embedding reforms that make Africa’s digital future more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable.

Progress across nations: Impact stories

The eighth iPRIS cohort is not starting from scratch; each participating regulator arrives with a track record of reforms already reshaping their national digital landscapes. From rural connectivity projects to regional roaming agreements, from cybersecurity enforcement to inclusive ICT training, these initiatives show how regulation is driving real progress for citizens and businesses. Together, they illustrate the diverse ways African regulators are bridging the digital divide and building a more resilient digital environment.

Liberia: 

Liberia’s digital journey is gathering pace, and the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA) has been at the centre of it. Over the past year, the regulator has pushed forward ambitious plans to modernise the country’s connectivity landscape. At the Liberia Infrastructure Conference, LTA showcased opportunities in 5G networks, fibre‑to‑the‑home rollout, and the Amílcar Cabral undersea cable, signalling a clear intent to attract private investment and accelerate digital transformation. These projects are not just about technology; they are about positioning Liberia as a competitive hub in West Africa’s digital economy.

On the ground, the impact is visible. In Vahun, Lofa County, a new communications tower has brought mobile coverage to thousands who previously struggled to connect. For schools, satellite internet kits are being deployed to support digital learning, opening doors for children in rural areas to access the same resources as their peers in Monrovia. LTA has also convened forums to ensure that persons with disabilities are not left behind, engaging operators and community leaders to improve accessibility and accountability.

At the same time, Liberia is strengthening its digital backbone. By participating in the National Peering Forum, LTA has advanced the country’s Internet Exchange Point, reducing costs and improving speeds for everyday users. Internationally, the regulator has been active at events like the TikTok Safer Internet Summit in Nairobi and Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, bringing home insights on cybersecurity, consumer protection, and innovation.

Namibia: 

Namibia’s regulator, CRAN, has been steadily working to bring connectivity to communities that have long been underserved. In recent months, new telecommunications towers have gone up in villages like Epinga and Ehomba, funded through the Universal Service Fund. For residents, this has meant the arrival of reliable voice and data services for the first time, opening doors to better schooling, healthcare access, and local business opportunities.

At the same time, CRAN is preparing the country for the next generation of networks. Plans are underway to transition from older 2G and 3G systems to more efficient 4G and 5G technologies. This shift is not just about faster speeds, it’s about ensuring that Namibia’s infrastructure can support modern digital services and give citizens the tools to participate fully in the digital economy.

The regulator has also invested in community empowerment. At the Khomasdal Rossing and Otjomuise libraries, CRAN donated computers and provided free internet access, enabling thousands of people to study, conduct research, and apply for jobs online. For many students and job seekers, these libraries have become gateways to opportunity, with high‑speed internet transforming how they learn and connect with employers.

CRAN has also been strengthening Namibia’s resilience in the digital space. Through its national Computer Security Incident Response Team (NAM‑CSIRT), the regulator hosted training on DNS resilience — essentially teaching stakeholders how to protect the “address book” of the internet from cyberattacks and disruptions. This kind of capacity building ensures that as Namibia expands its networks, it also safeguards them against threats.

Mauritius: 

Mauritius has often been perceived as a digital leader in the Indian Ocean, and the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (ICTA) has been steering this transformation with a mix of innovation and regulation. In recent months, ICTA authorised the use of non‑geostationary satellite orbit (NGSO) broadband services, requiring providers to operate through locally licensed ISPs (Internet Service Providers). This decision reflects a careful balance: opening the door to new technologies while ensuring orderly market entry and benefits for local players. It is a move that expands connectivity options, particularly for remote communities, while maintaining a strong regulatory framework.

ICTA has also opened the 700 MHz frequency band for testing and operation of IMT networks, including 5G. This step signals the country’s readiness to embrace next‑generation connectivity and ensure spectrum is used efficiently. For citizens, it means faster, more reliable services and the potential for new digital applications that can drive economic growth.

The regulator’s decisions are felt directly in everyday life. In the Agalega Islands, a remote dependency of Mauritius, ICTA has supported projects under the Universal Service Fund to enhance internet connectivity. For residents there, improved access means better communication with the mainland, opportunities for online learning, and access to essential services that were previously out of reach. Another regulatory change in Mauritius is the revocation of SIM registration rules that required identity documentation. This has reshaped how mobile users interact with their services, making access simpler and more flexible.

Sierra Leone: 

Sierra Leone’s regulator, NatCA, has been weaving regional cooperation and consumer protection into its digital transformation story. One of the most significant developments has been the cross‑border agreement with Guinea to introduce free mobile roaming. For traders, students, and families living near the border, this has meant using their home SIM cards without extra charges, reducing costs and making communication seamless across two countries. 

NatCA has also been working to strengthen connectivity between Sierra Leone and Guinea through a memorandum of understanding on internet interconnection. By linking networks across borders, the regulator is ensuring faster, more reliable services and laying the groundwork for a more connected West Africa.

Additionally, NatCA has also been active in consumer education. Public awareness campaigns have reached citizens through radio, television, newspapers, and social media, focusing on phishing prevention, safe mobile money practices, and data privacy. These efforts are particularly targeted at youth and rural communities, helping them build resilience against cyber threats and strengthening trust in digital services.

The regulator’s presence is felt beyond technical reforms. During Ramadan and Lent, NatCA donated food to religious institutions in Freetown and surrounding communities, demonstrating that its role extends to social support and community engagement. At the same time, Sierra Leone’s voice has been heard regionally, with NatCA’s Director‑General, Mr Amara Brewah, participating in the Smart Africa Council of Regulators, reinforcing the country’s place in continental ICT dialogue.

Zimbabwe:

Zimbabwe’s regulator, POTRAZ, has been shaping the country’s digital landscape by placing cybersecurity and accountability at the centre of its agenda. In recent months, it has called out organisations that continue to process personal data without the required licences under the Cyber and Data Protection Act. By insisting on compliance, POTRAZ is reinforcing trust in the digital ecosystem and ensuring that citizens’ information is handled in a lawful manner. This push for accountability is complemented by awareness‑raising initiatives, such as the Annual Data Privacy Symposium, which brings together stakeholders to discuss privacy as the foundation for innovation and trust in a digital economy.

At the same time, Zimbabwe has been investing in people and communities. Through its ICT Scholarship programme, students across the country are gaining opportunities to advance their education in technology and build the skills needed for the future workforce. In rural areas, more than 200 community information centres have been established, bringing internet access and government services closer to citizens, including the elderly and underserved populations. For many, these centres have become vital spaces for learning, communication, and participation in the digital economy.

POTRAZ has also positioned Zimbabwe within global and regional conversations. By participating in forums such as WSIS+20 and AI for Good, the regulator has engaged with international peers on issues ranging from ethical AI to inclusive infrastructure. Hosting regional workshops on emergency telecommunications and early warning systems further demonstrates Zimbabwe’s role in building resilience across Southern Africa.

Tanzania: 

TCRA, has been driving digital inclusion with a strong focus on safety, accessibility, and empowerment. One of its most visible initiatives has been the launch of a nationwide short-code service, 15040, that allows citizens to report suspicious messages and verify unknown phone numbers. For millions of mobile money users, this simple tool has become a shield against fraud, giving them confidence to engage in digital services without fear of being exploited.

TCRA has also taken a creative approach to tackling misinformation. Through the “FUTA DELETE KABISA” campaign, launched during the International Week of the Deaf, citizens were educated on how to identify and avoid false information online. Importantly, the campaign included sign language interpretation, ensuring that members of the deaf community could fully participate. This emphasis on inclusivity shows how regulation can empower even the most marginalised groups to engage safely in the digital space.

The regulator’s commitment to empowerment extends to young women. In collaboration with the Ministry of Communications and IT, UCSAF, and the ICT Commission, TCRA organised practical ICT training for girls with special needs from secondary schools in Dodoma. These sessions equipped them with STEM and digital skills, inspiring them to pursue careers in technology and equipping them to design solutions to social challenges in their communities.

Regionally, Tanzania has positioned itself as a leader by hosting the ITU Subregional Workshop in Dar es Salaam, bringing together experts from across Africa to discuss universal and meaningful connectivity. TCRA has also been reviewing the postal sector’s legal framework to align with sustainability goals and support e‑commerce, while backing local innovators in global competitions like the G20 Digital Innovation Challenge.

Highlights: A three‑week collaboration

The eighth iPRIS cohort will take part in an intensive three‑week peer-learning in Stockholm, designed to blend expert‑led sessions, collaborative project work, and immersive field visits. The schedule connects theory with practice, ensuring that regulators refine their change initiatives by learning from European peers and from one another.

The discussions will revolve around these components:

• Joint European Offer (JEO) sessions led by experts from the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS) and partners, covering topics such as institutional and legal frameworks, secure communications, numbering and addressing, spectrum management, end‑user protection, broadband deployment and mapping, competition regulation, and new regulatory issues.
• Project management and MEAL (Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning) workshops facilitated by SPIDER, strengthening participants’ ability to design, monitor, and implement their Change Initiatives.
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion sessions led by SPIDER.
• Strategic Foresight sessions led by PTS.
• Field visits to leading institutions and industry players, including PTS headquarters, Stockholm University, Ericsson, Telia, and Ernst & Young. These visits will showcase models of innovation, governance, and private‑sector collaboration.
• Collaborative exchanges with Regional Regulatory Organisations (RROs), who will present their projects and share lessons from regional cooperation frameworks.
• Networking and cultural events, including a visit to The Royal Palace, a networking dinner, and an Easter dinner at the hotel, to foster cooperation and build lasting professional relationships.

Throughout the period, each NRA will continue to improve its Change Initiative, a national reform plan aimed at strengthening institutional performance and making the regulatory environment sustainable and inclusive.

Read about the iPRIS seventh cohort sessions in Sweden here 

This European phase marks only the beginning of the journey. The regulators will reconvene later this year at the Africa round, where they will share lessons learned, assess progress on their Change Initiatives, and continue building momentum for inclusive digital transformation. By returning to the continent, the programme ensures that the knowledge gained in Stockholm is translated into action at home, reinforcing the commitment to bridge the digital divide and advance Africa’s digital future together.

iPRIS is coordinated and implemented by SPIDER in strategic and technical partnership with the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS) and Institut luxembourgeois de régulation (ILR), as well as ARTAC, CRASA, EACO, and WATRA.

iPRIS is funded by the European Union, Sweden, and Luxembourg as part of the Team Europe Initiative “D4D for Digital Economy and Society in Sub-Saharan Africa” (Code: 001).

From 9 to 12 March 2026, telecom experts reconvened in Accra, Ghana, for their iPRIS round after initially meeting in Sweden. The four-day session brought together national regulatory authorities (NRAs) from the National Communications Authority of Ghana (NCA Ghana), Communications Authority of Kenya (CA Kenya), Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA  Botswana), Lesotho Communications Authority (LCA Lesotho), and Public Utilities Regulatory Authority of The Gambia (PURA Gambia), with Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA Malawi) joining online to advance Change Initiatives (CIs) from policy concepts to practical regulatory action. 

They were joined by implementing partners, SPIDER and the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS), representatives of the European Union and regional regulatory organisations, including Communications Regulators' Association of Southern Africa (CRASA), East African Communications Organisation (EACO) and West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly (WATRA).

Across Africa, telecom experts are working to bridge the digital divide and support the development of inclusive digital economies. Globally, an estimated 6 billion people – about three-quarters of the world's population – are using the Internet in 2025, up from a revised estimate of 5.8 billion in 2024. However, 2.2 billion people remain offline, down from a revised estimate of 2.3 billion in 2024 (ITU, 2025). Although mobile networks now cover about 95% of Africa’s population, only around 40% actively use mobile internet. This widening usage gap, driven by high device costs, limited digital literacy and access barriers, remains one of the continent’s greatest connectivity challenges (GSMA, 2025). These findings highlight the critical role of telecom regulators in expanding digital access, particularly for underserved communities.  

By strengthening regulatory frameworks in areas such as affordability, spectrum management, consumer protection, and digital inclusion, these efforts aim to improve access to affordable connectivity, digital services and economic opportunities for citizens across participating countries. The Ghana round, therefore, focused on reviewing progress on Change Initiatives while strengthening regional regulatory collaboration.

As part of the iPRIS structured peer-learning cycle, the Ghana round marked the transition from planning to implementation. Following the comprehensive knowledge-exchange sessions in Sweden in November 2025, telecom experts reconvened to assess progress on their CIs, share policy experiences, and refine implementation strategies. The daily sessions focused on three key areas: reviewing progress on CIs; strengthening regulatory capacity through expert-led sessions on strategic foresight, digital inclusion and project management; enhancing regional cooperation through peer-learning sessions; and Way forward presentations concerning CIs.

Day 1: From commitment to progress: Regulators advance Change Initiatives

The day began with opening remarks from Rev. Ing. Edmund Fianko, Director General of the National Communications Authority (NCA), and Gisela Spreitzhofer, the EU delegation to Ghana. Their speeches focused on the benefits of connectivity, especially for development sectors, the digital transformation journey in Africa, and the change initiatives of NRAs, setting a collaborative tone for the week’s work. As Rev. Ing. Edmund Fianko emphasised:

From mid-morning onward, the NRAs presented progress on their CIs, marking the first day of immense collaboration and peer-learning. These initiatives aimed to strengthen digital systems, expand digital access, improve service quality and prepare regulators for emerging technologies. Key topics covered include spectrum policy development, broadband access and community connectivity, Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), AI governance readiness, satellite regulation, and consumer protection. 

This session demonstrated how regulators are moving beyond policy discussions to implement practical solutions that not only improve digital technologies but also ensure citizens benefit from inclusive connectivity. Day one provided a platform for peer learning as regulators shared experiences, challenges and solutions across countries. Through these, telecom experts not only made significant progress in the digital sector but also enhanced their institutional capacity to manage evolving digital markets effectively.

Day 2:  Strengthening regulatory capacity through shared learning

On day 2, the Ghana round went beyond CIs and focused on strengthening the regulators strategic capacity and technical expertise through expert-led presentations and discussions. The participants were first introduced to the strategic foresight methodology by Hans Hedin (PTS). A tool that aims to anticipate trends and emerging technologies and to strategically plan for forward-looking regulations. Hans Hedin noted: 

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Given that digital inclusivity is central to the iPRIS project, a session on inclusivity by Dr Caroline Wamala Larrson and Dr Cheikh Sadibou Sakho (SPIDER) was much needed. Emphasising the significance of community engagement to regulation, Dr Cheikh noted:

The presentation highlighted the need for regulators to view regulation as a social construct that affects real people with needs, shaped by social power dynamics.  Through approaches such as Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and gender-responsive strategies, participants were exposed to practical strategies to expand connectivity with underserved populations and promote equitable access across communities. As Dr Caroline Wamala Larrson noted:

Project Management and MEAL

Petra Rindby (SPIDER) led a session on Project Management and Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL). This served as a guide for NRAs on how to tackle their projects to ensure alignment with their change initiatives. She further emphasised the importance of commitment and belief in the process: 

Throughout the presentations, participants engaged in discussions and projects that implemented these strategies, enhancing their problem-solving and strategic thinking skills.

The highlight of the day was the presentation titled “Smart Borders, Fair Billings” by NCA Ghana alumnus from the fourth iPRIS cohort. This session highlighted that border communities often experience the practical consequences of regulatory gaps, and addressing roaming challenges requires technical solutions and regulatory cooperation. 

Their presentation offered practical insights into roaming regulations and the challenges faced during implementation, particularly at the Ghana-Togo border. Participants explored real-world challenges affecting border communities, where mobile users often face unexpected charges, signal spillover, and inconsistent roaming services due to gaps in regulatory coordination.

Throughout the evening, participants shared experiences, challenges, and technical solutions from their own countries. Some of the challenges raised affecting border communities include automatic roaming in border towns, unexpected consumer charges, cross-border spillover and the need for effective regulatory coordination between neighbouring countries. It was a session that reflected the true knowledge-sharing aspect of iPRIS as the seventh cohort learned from practical examples of their African peers.

Day 3: Advancing digital cooperation through regional collaboration

iPRIS provides a platform for telecom experts to collaborate beyond borders. Through the Ghana round, NRAs interacted with RROs and European experts to address shared challenges in Africa’s telecom ecosystem.

Mr Kristof Itana (CRASA), Ms Anuoluwapo Atte (WATRA), and Mr Andrew Changa (EACO) led participants through individual CIs discussions, sharing insights on regional projects, challenges, and solutions that support national telecom advancements.

These exchanges not only provided a learning ground for NRAs but also highlighted iPRIS efforts in providing regional expertise to national regulators and strengthening regulatory capacity.

Through regional cooperation, iPRIS ensures that regulatory initiatives are practical and cater to the needs of citizens across countries.

Day 4: From progress to implementation: Defining the way forward

The last day of the Ghana round focused on translating lessons into actionable projects. Through this session, telecom experts went beyond planning and applied the knowledge gained to strategies that strengthen national telecom ecosystems and emphasise regional learning. The Way forward session offered a platform for each NRA to present on the next steps for their CIs, informed by insights from the previous day's guidance and shared learning.  In detail, each NRA presented the scopes, methodologies, challenges, expected outcomes, and outputs of the implementation process for the CIs. From the presentations, the goal was clear: to enable inclusive digital connectivity and markets, and protect consumers across participating countries.  

The Ghana round reinforced the iPRIS core mission, which aims to boost the Capacities of African telecom regulators through peer-to-peer learning, thereby helping NRAs strengthen and build inclusive digital systems. By bringing together national regulators and regional organisations, the Ghana round highlighted how regional collaboration enables harmonised digital development, helping countries align with regulatory standards and effective practices. As Keamogetse Mmokele from Botswana reflected on the value of the programme: 

The Ghana round marks one of the many phases in the iPRIS project. As iPRIS continues to collaborate with NRAs in the next phases of their CIs, equipping regulators with knowledge and capacity to address evolving digital challenges and drive sustainable, inclusive digital transformation across Africa remains central to the programme. 

iPRIS is coordinated and implemented by SPIDER in strategic and technical partnership with the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS) and Institut luxembourgeois de régulation (ILR), as well as ARTAC, CRASA, EACO, and WATRA.

iPRIS is funded by the European Union, Sweden, and Luxembourg as part of the Team Europe Initiative “D4D for Digital Economy and Society in Sub-Saharan Africa” (Code: 001).

Cheikh Sadibou Sakho examines why inclusion and social equity are essential to closing Africa’s digital divide

Keypoints:

• Digital divide in Africa is primarily social, not technological
• Inclusion and equity must anchor digital policy and regulation
• Meaningful connectivity requires skills, affordability and governance reform

‘WHAT is done for us without us is done against us.’ This principle, frequently invoked in development discourse, resonates deeply when examining Africa’s digital trajectory. It highlights a reality that remains insufficiently acknowledged: technological transformation cannot generate sustainable social progress if it is disconnected from the lived experiences of the societies it intends to serve.

Across the continent, digitalisation is often portrayed as an inevitable pathway to economic advancement and institutional modernisation. Yet progress that excludes populations in all their diversity—particularly disadvantaged and vulnerable groups—risks reinforcing structural inequalities rather than alleviating them. Technology, when detached from social contexts, may reproduce marginalisation instead of fostering resilience.

Africa’s digital future therefore hinges not only on innovation, but on inclusion.

Moving beyond infrastructure-centred narratives

Discussions of digital transformation in Africa continue to prioritise infrastructure indicators: broadband expansion, mobile network coverage, platform proliferation and technological innovation. These developments are significant and reflect genuine momentum towards modernisation.

However, such metrics obscure a more fundamental question: who benefits from digital technology, in what ways, and under which conditions?

The central challenge is not simply connectivity but meaningful connectivity — the capacity for individuals and communities to use digital tools in ways that enhance economic opportunity, strengthen participation and improve everyday life. Access without affordability, skills or relevance does not translate into empowerment.

The digital divide must therefore be understood as a multidimensional social issue rather than a purely technical gap.

Senegal as a lens on continental dynamics

My reflections draw partly from observations in Senegal, whose experience offers an illuminating perspective on broader African trends. In recent years, Senegal has pursued an ambitious digital agenda through initiatives such as the New Deal Technologique and the Sénégal Numérique 2025 strategy, accompanied by investments in broadband infrastructure and digital public services.

These initiatives demonstrate a clear political ambition to position digital technology as a driver of development and institutional reform. Yet beneath this progress, persistent divides remain.

National statistics reveal stark disparities between urban and rural populations. Nearly 16 percent of rural residents have internet access compared with nearly 60 percent in Dakar. Geography continues to shape digital opportunity.

Gender inequalities further complicate access. Women in rural areas are around 32 percent less likely to use mobile internet than men. Even in urban settings, disparities remain visible, illustrating how digital exclusion reflects broader socio-economic realities rather than simple technological delay.

Coverage alone does not ensure social appropriation. Digital participation depends on education, affordability, cultural relevance and confidence in technology.

Touba and the paradox of episodic connectivity

Patterns of digital usage in Senegal illustrate another dimension of inequality: cyclical connectivity shaped by social and economic rhythms. Telecommunications consumption rises dramatically during major religious gatherings, particularly the Grand Magal pilgrimage in Touba.

During this period, Touba temporarily becomes one of the most connected locations in the country. Digital networks facilitate communication, mobility coordination, commerce and religious organisation on a massive scale.

Yet once the event concludes, connectivity patterns revert to uneven norms. This demonstrates a critical paradox of Africa’s digital transition: moments of intense connectivity coexist with persistent structural vulnerability.

Infrastructure availability alone does not guarantee sustained or meaningful participation.

The digital divide as a reflection of social inequality

Africa’s digital divide should therefore be interpreted not as an isolated technological deficit but as a contemporary expression of historical inequalities.

Across the continent, nearly one billion people live in areas covered by mobile broadband yet remain offline. Women continue to face disproportionate barriers despite digital tools offering significant opportunities for entrepreneurship and livelihood stability, particularly within informal economies that employ large segments of the population.

These conditions reflect economic, cultural, educational and symbolic constraints. They reveal what may be described as a political economy of access — one shaped by structural inequalities rather than individual reluctance.

Why diversity, equity and inclusion must become central policy pillars

In this context, diversity, equity and inclusion must shift from peripheral considerations to core strategic pillars of digital development policies in Africa.

Digital technology has evolved into a space where economic, social and political opportunities are produced and redistributed. Decisions regarding connectivity increasingly influence employment prospects, education systems, governance processes and democratic participation.

Ignoring social dynamics risks reproducing exclusion at scale. Digital inclusion must therefore go beyond connecting territories; it must enable stable and meaningful participation in social life.

Encouragingly, Senegalese policy discourse is gradually evolving. Institutional priorities are beginning to move beyond infrastructure deployment towards digital skills, accessibility and inequality reduction. This shift reflects growing recognition that digital transformation is fundamentally political.

Rethinking regulation as a societal practice

The decisive question now concerns how African policymakers conceptualise digital technology.

If digital ecosystems are viewed exclusively as markets, exclusionary dynamics are likely to persist. If they are understood as socio-technical systems, regulation and public investment can instead function as instruments of social justice.

Telecommunications regulation must therefore extend beyond technical optimisation and market efficiency to incorporate social asymmetries, vulnerabilities and redistributive impacts.

Through the iPRIS programme, I have worked with regulators from more than a dozen African countries integrating societal considerations into regulatory initiatives addressing competition policy, spectrum management, user protection, broadband deployment and secure communications.

A notable cognitive shift is emerging. Regulators who previously focused primarily on market indicators are increasingly asking broader questions about social impact and long-term societal outcomes.

Technologies disconnected from social realities often encounter resistance and unintended consequences. Inclusive systems, by contrast, tend to be more resilient and sustainable.

Digital governance as a common good

Advancing digital inclusion requires coordinated action across multiple fronts: adaptive regulatory frameworks, competitive yet equitable markets, responsible data governance and differentiated connectivity strategies tailored to diverse populations.

More fundamentally, digital space must be recognised as a common good whose governance cannot be left solely to market forces.

The objective should not merely be reducing the digital divide but overcoming it. Universal connectivity is fundamentally an issue of social equity, linking infrastructure with affordability, digital literacy, locally relevant content and inclusive governance.

Digital technology has become a central arena of contemporary social justice.

Towards meaningful and universal connectivity

This inclusive vision aligns with the African Union’s Digital Transformation Strategy 2020–2030, which calls for harmonised regulatory frameworks, institutional strengthening and inclusive connectivity across the continent.

Encouragingly, dialogue with regulators across Africa suggests growing awareness of the social dimensions of digital transformation. Policymakers are increasingly engaging with questions of inequality, diversity and societal impact.

Such developments indicate an important realisation: meaningful and universal connectivity is not primarily a technological challenge but a social one.

Africa’s digital future will depend less on the speed of innovation than on the depth of inclusion. Only by embedding equity at the centre of digital governance can technological progress translate into shared prosperity rather than fragmented advancement.

The digital divide will not be bridged through infrastructure alone. It will be overcome when digital transformation is designed with people — in all their diversity — at its core.

Professor Sadibou Sakho is an Anthropologist and Sociologist, Gaston Berger University of Saint-Louis (Senegal)

iPRIS is coordinated and implemented by SPIDER in strategic and technical partnership with the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS) and Institut luxembourgeois de régulation (ILR), as well as ARTAC, CRASA, EACO, and WATRA.

iPRIS is funded by the European Union, Sweden, and Luxembourg as part of the Team Europe Initiative “D4D for Digital Economy and Society in Sub-Saharan Africa” (Code: 001).

From 9 to 12 March 2026, the National Communications Authority (NCA) of Ghana will host the second round of peer-to-peer learning of the seventh cohort of the ICT Policy and Regulation – Institutional Strengthening (iPRIS) project in Accra. 

iPRIS has engaged approximately 157 participants from 33 countries to date, highlighting the vast network of telecom regulators who share knowledge to advance their telecom industries. Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) faces major challenges in digital development, including underdeveloped digital infrastructure, limited access to affordable connectivity, a digital gender gap, insufficient skills for digitally enabled industries and a weak regulatory and policy environment. According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), effective regulation can reduce connectivity costs by up to 30%  while attracting greater investment in digital infrastructure, underscoring the critical role of institutions such as iPRIS in expanding affordable access and bridging the digital divide.

This meeting will bring together African National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs) from the National Communications Authority of Ghana (NCA Ghana), Lesotho Communications Authority (LCA Lesotho), Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA Botswana), Public Utilities Regulatory Authority of The Gambia (PURA Gambia), Communications Authority of Kenya (CA Kenya), and Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA Malawi)

They will also be joined by Regional Regulatory Organisations (RROs), including the West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly (WATRA), the Communications Regulators’ Association of Southern Africa (CRASA), and the East African Communications Organisation (EACO). Implementing partners, including the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS) and the Swedish Program for ICT in Developing Regions (SPIDER), will also participate.

The convening will mark the second stage of the cohort’s journey in the iPRIS cycle, following its initial phase in Stockholm in 2025. It will build on the cohort’s initial learning round, shifting from European learning exposure to Africa-based implementation. By prioritising practical reforms, the meeting will reinforce ICT regulation as a driver of digital transformation, strengthen regional cooperation among regulators, and deepen institutional capacity to ensure reliable and inclusive digital economies across Sub-Saharan Africa.

Read more about the 7th Cohort’s activities in Stockholm 2025 here.

Strategic objectives of this second meeting in Accra:

• Advance Change Initiatives led by participating NRAs, moving from design to implementation and adaptability to African realities.
• Strengthen regulatory responses to digital inclusion to ensure affordable access and to reduce gender and rural connectivity gaps through Diversity, Equity and Inclusion knowledge exchange sessions.
• Promote market efficiency by addressing competition, affordability, and consumer protection in ICT services through cybersecurity sessions.
• Equip regulators with the tools to address emerging technologies, including 5G, AI, and digital platforms.
• Tackle cross-border regulatory challenges through harmonising approaches to roaming, spectrum management, and regional digital markets.
• Deepen regional collaboration, fostering shared solutions and peer-to-peer support across national and regional institutions. 

An interesting session to look out for is the ‘Smart Borders, Fair Billings: Policy Lessons from Ghana’s Border Towns’ discussion that will be presented by NCA Ghana. This session will deliver practical lessons from NCA Ghana's experience driving roaming initiatives in its border towns. On the last day of discussions on Thursday, 12th March, the ‘Way Forward’ sessions will feature presentations from all the NRAs on their planning and execution strategies concerning their tailored Change Initiatives. It is a session open to all iPRIS alumni and current participants, where technical expertise and knowledge are shared.

The 7th cohort follow-up phase in Ghana will serve as a pivotal step in the seventh cohort’s journey, reinforcing iPRIS’s commitment to regulator-led reforms that respond to Africa’s digital realities. By combining peer learning with practical implementation, the programme will ensure that participating regulators return home equipped with actionable strategies to expand affordable connectivity, strengthen consumer protection, and prepare for emerging technologies. Sustained collaboration beyond this meeting will be essential to build resilient institutions, harmonised regional markets, and inclusive digital economies that empower societies across Sub-Saharan Africa. As regulators advance their Change Initiatives and strengthen regional cooperation, iPRIS will remain committed to its support, helping authorities adapt to emerging technologies and address cross‑border challenges with coordinated and forward‑looking solutions

iPRIS is coordinated and implemented by SPIDER in strategic and technical partnership with the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS) and Institut luxembourgeois de régulation (ILR), as well as ARTAC, CRASA, EACO, and WATRA.

iPRIS is funded by the European Union, Sweden, and Luxembourg as part of the Team Europe Initiative “D4D for Digital Economy and Society in Sub-Saharan Africa” (Code: 001).

9–12 February 2026 | Cotonou, Benin

From 9 to 12 February 2026, the Electronic Communications and Postal Regulatory Authority of Benin (ARCEP Benin) hosted the Africa session of the second iPRIS Francophone cohort in Cotonou. This cohort is the second French group and sixth group overall in the iPRIS project. Four days of intensive exchanges brought together telecom regulators (NRAs) from Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and Guinea, alongside implementing partners SPIDER and ILR, regional telecom regulators — WATRA (West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly), ARTAC (Assembly of Telecoms Regulators of Central Africa) and EACO (East African Communications Organisation) — as well as the Francophone network, ARCEP France.

The Benin round took place against a backdrop of persistent connectivity challenges and transformative potential across Africa’s telecom landscape, underscoring the importance of structured regulatory peer-to-peer engagement. Despite mobile broadband networks covering a large majority of the population, only about 22–40 % of Africans are using mobile internet, leaving a substantial usage gap even where coverage exists, and fixed broadband remains scarce compared with global averages (GSMA, 2025). Meanwhile, the mobile sector contributed around $220 billion to Africa’s GDP in 2024 (about 7.7 % of total output), with usage expected to increase further, highlighting connectivity’s economic value (GSMA, 2025). At the same time, advanced technologies such as 4G and 5G are expanding slowly, with 5G still a small share of total connections in Sub-Saharan Africa, reinforcing the need for forward-looking regulatory frameworks that can unlock investment, affordability, and digital inclusion. By bringing regulators together to test, refine and benchmark their Change Initiatives with peers and regional bodies, the Cotonou meeting directly addresses policy and implementation gaps that constrain meaningful connectivity and inclusive digital market development. 

As part of iPRIS's structured peer-to-peer learning cycle, this session marked a turning point for the second Francophone cohort: the shift from learning to action. Following comprehensive training in Luxembourg in September 2025, these Francophone African telecom regulators reconvened in Benin to test their Change Initiatives (CIs) against on-the-ground realities, measure the progress achieved and consolidate the reforms underway.

Day 1: Concrete Progress and Reaffirmed Commitment

The session was officially opened with addresses by H.E. Stéphane Mund, Ambassador of the European Union to Benin, the representative of the Ambassador of Luxembourg to Benin, and Dr Hervé C. Guèdègbé, Executive Secretary of ARCEP Benin. This high-level institutional framework set the tone for the week's ambition from the outset: positioning African regulators as drivers of the continent's digital transformation.

The morning of this first day was dedicated to presentations on the progress of the Change Initiatives led by each NRA. From competition regulation and spectrum management to 5G deployment, fibre optic infrastructure regulation and spectral interference detection, each regulator demonstrated measurable progress since the comprehensive training session in Europe. A highlight of the day was the spotlight on ARCEP Benin's achievements, including the announcement of the decision regulating tariffs in the electronic communications and digital sector, as well as the forthcoming framework for free WiFi zones. These measures illustrated the Beninese regulator's commitment to a more transparent, equitable and accessible market.

The day concluded with a visit to the ARCEP Benin technical centre in Hêvié, Calavi, where participants met with the executive secretariat of ARCEP to discuss the country's evolving approach to public internet access, including recent regulatory guidelines on WiFi zone operations. The regulatory framework underscores the importance of prior authorisation, quality of service, data protection and fair competition, commitments that illustrate how regulation can protect users while enabling affordable and equitable digital access.

Day 2: Strategic Dialogue and Institutional Cooperation

The second day was entirely devoted to dedicated Change Initiative meetings. Each national regulator worked in dedicated sessions with experts from WATRA, ARTAC, SPIDER, ILR and EACO to refine implementation strategies, identify risks and strengthen action plans. This discussion group format reflects the iPRIS methodology: iterative, structured support grounded in accountability. The exchanges enabled in-depth exploration of the challenges specific to each national context — budget constraints, institutional approval timelines, inter-agency coordination and access — while identifying cross-cutting solutions, good practices and shared visions among peers.

The day continued into the evening at the Embassy of Luxembourg in Benin, where participants were received at a special invitation. This institutional moment reaffirmed the support of European and African experts for strengthening the capacities of NRAs and promoting inclusive digital ecosystems.

Day 3: Innovation, Financial Inclusion and Institutional Leadership

The third day offered African regulators an immersion in Benin's financial and digital innovation ecosystem, combined with capacity-building sessions on project management and institutional diversity.

Immersion in Beninese Fintech

The morning took place at the Embassy of Luxembourg, with presentations by two startups awarded through the LuxAid Challenge Fund: Global Optim Benin (GOBIWORLD), whose integrated mobile application digitalises and optimises the activities of Mobile Money agents to strengthen financial inclusion, and Media Soft Bénin, which facilitates the digitalisation of microfinance institution services for broader access to financial services, particularly for vulnerable populations.

Ms Livia Sossou, Senior Technical Adviser for the BeDigital programme, and Mr Gilles Da Costa, Senior Technical Adviser for the Inclusive and Innovative Finance programme, presented Benin's progress in financial inclusion. The financial inclusion rate, estimated at 87% in 2025, has now reached 90% within the WAEMU zone, driven by the adoption of the new banking law in 2024, which extends the scope of application to payment institutions, electronic money institutions and FinTechs.

The visit to the MTN Innovation Lab completed this immersion with a presentation of Cashless, a SaaS platform dedicated to managing employee benefits and professional expenses. These initiatives illustrate the dynamism of Benin's digital ecosystem and the synergies between regulation and innovation.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

The afternoon opened with a session led by Cheikh Sadibou Sakho (SPIDER / Gaston Berger University) on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in regulatory environments. The session emphasised that inclusion is not limited to infrastructure but also depends on social roles and gender, reinforcing the idea that public legitimacy and trust rest on inclusive leadership.

Read more about Prof. Sadibou’s insights on digital inclusion here

Project Management and MEAL

Malena Liedholm-Ndounou (SPIDER) led a session on project management and Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL), equipping regulators with practical tools to plan, monitor and evaluate the impact of their Change Initiatives. The session highlighted that the sustainability of reforms depends as much on project discipline as on technical expertise.

The session on tariff regulation, led by Antoine Samba (ARCEP France/FRATEL) and Tantely Jeans (ILR), also enabled participants to explore European regulatory frameworks on pricing and consumer protection in greater depth, a topic at the heart of several Change Initiatives in this second Francophone cohort.

Day 4: Consolidation and Forward Planning

The fourth and final day focused on consolidating the Change Initiatives and defining the way forward. Each NRA in the cohort presented their roadmap for the coming months, specifying key milestones, expected deliverables and monitoring mechanisms. The presentations demonstrated how far the CIs had progressed, moving from strategic design in Luxembourg last September to detailed action plans anchored in each country's institutional realities.

The session closed on a convivial note with a cultural excursion to Ouidah, a historic city in Benin. This shared moment strengthened bonds among participants, illustrating the spirit of collaboration and solidarity that characterises the iPRIS project.

Strengthening Regulatory Leadership Across Africa

The follow-up session of the second Francophone cohort in Cotonou confirms the core mission of iPRIS: to support telecom regulators in implementing structural reforms, foster peer-to-peer learning and contribute to building more inclusive, innovative and sustainable digital environments across Africa. In four days, the second Francophone cohort demonstrated that structured peer-to-peer exchange accelerates the regulatory capacity of African institutions, from progress presentations to CI clinics, from fintech immersion to reflection on inclusive leadership.

Since its launch in 2023, iPRIS has mobilised more than 200 telecom experts across 33 countries, reflecting a growing continental network of regulators who draw on shared expertise and coordinated regulatory action to shape resilient, forward-looking digital markets. The Cotonou session is not the end of the journey, but a milestone in iPRIS's ongoing commitment to African regulators — a commitment that transforms learning into reform and reform into lasting impact.

iPRIS is coordinated and implemented by SPIDER in strategic and technical partnership with the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS) and Institut luxembourgeois de régulation (ILR), as well as ARTAC, CRASA, EACO, and WATRA.

iPRIS is funded by the European Union, Sweden, and Luxembourg as part of the Team Europe Initiative “D4D for Digital Economy and Society in Sub-Saharan Africa” (Code: 001).

From 9 to 12 February 2026, the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Communications and Post of Benin (ARCEP Benin) will host the Africa round of the second Francophone cohort of the ICT Policy and Regulation – Institutional Strengthening (iPRIS) programme in Cotonou.

The meeting brings together African National Telecom Regulators, Regional Regulatory Organisations, alongside international collaborators to strengthen institutional capacity and advance inclusive digital transformation across Francophone Africa. Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) faces major challenges in digital development, including underdeveloped digital infrastructure, limited access to affordable connectivity, a digital gender gap, limited skills for digitally enabled industries, and weak regulatory and policy environments. However, over the last few years, the region has made major advances in digital transformation, with hundreds of millions of people gaining access to the internet and productively using a wide variety of digital services, such as mobile payments and e-learning platforms (World Bank, 2024).

The Africa round of iPRIS’s Francophone cohort in Benin builds on knowledge-sharing sessions in Europe and moves toward  implementation, tailoring reforms to local contexts and regional priorities.

Among the participating National Regulatory Authorities are the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Communications and Post of Benin (ARCEP Benin), the Regulatory and Control Agency for Telecommunications of Burundi (ARCT Burundi), the Telecommunications Regulatory Agency of Cameroon (ART Cameroon), the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Equatorial Guinea (ORTEL Equatorial Guinea), the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Communications and Post of Gabon (ARCEP Gabon), and the Regulatory Authority for Post and Telecommunications of Guinea (ARPT Guinea).

They will be joined by Regional Regulatory Organisations, including the West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly (WATRA), the East African Communications Organisation (EACO), and the African Telecommunications Regulators Assembly for Central Africa (ARTAC).

The meeting will also include implementing partners such as the Luxembourg Institute of Regulation (ILR) and the Swedish Program for ICT in Developing Regions (SPIDER), with contributions from European collaborators including the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Communications and Post of France (ARCEP France).

This convening marks the second stage of the cohort’s journey in the iPRIS cycle, following its initial phase in Luxembourg in September 2025. The follow‑up phase in Cotonou, Benin, will build on the cohort’s initial learning round in Luxembourg, shifting from exposure to Africa‑based implementation. By prioritizing practical reforms, the meeting reinforces ICT regulation as a driver of digital transformation, strengthens regional cooperation among Francophone regulators, and deepens institutional capacity‑building to ensure reliable and inclusive digital economies across Sub Saharan Africa, enabling regulators to implement lessons to local realities and implement concrete reforms.

Read more about the regulator’s time in Luxembourg here.

iPRIS is an EU‑supported initiative designed to strengthen ICT policy and regulatory frameworks across Sub‑Saharan Africa. Coordinated by SPIDER in partnership with the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS) and the Institut luxembourgeois de régulation (ILR), the programme is part of the Team Europe Initiative Digital for Development (D4D) and emphasises peer learning, institutional reform, and regulator‑led Change Initiatives that deliver measurable impact. In Francophone Africa, the urgency of coordinated regulatory action is clear: over 60% of Africa’s population still lacks access to the internet, according to the African Telecommunications Union (ATU, 2024). This digital divide shows why the Benin meeting is critical, as regulators work to expand affordable connectivity and strengthen institutional capacity for inclusive digital transformation.

iPRIS helps bridge the digital divide by enhancing inclusive, meaningful digital connectivity. It does so by boosting the capacities of African telecom regulators through peer‑to‑peer learning with African and European counterparts, emphasising institutional reform and practical implementation as the basis for sustainable digital economies. Strengthening digital regulation is directly tied to the Sustainable Development Goals, as inclusive connectivity supports quality education, economic growth, innovation, and stronger partnerships.

Strategic Objectives of the Benin Meeting

• Advance Change Initiatives led by participating National Regulatory Authorities, moving from design to implementation.
• Strengthen regulatory responses to digital inclusion to ensure affordable access and reduce gender and rural connectivity gaps.
• Promote market efficiency by addressing competition, affordability, and consumer protection in ICT services.
• Equip regulators for emerging technologies, including satellite‑to‑device services, cybersecurity frameworks, and digital platforms.
• Tackle cross‑border regulatory challenges, harmonising approaches to roaming, spectrum management, and regional digital markets.
• Deepen regional and Francophone collaboration, fostering shared solutions and peer‑to‑peer support across national and regional institutions.
• Deliver practical outcomes, with regulators expected to return home with feasible reforms designed for their local contexts.

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Since the project was launched in 2023, iPRIS has engaged 24 National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs) and 4 Regional Regulatory Organisations (RROs), supporting more than 20 measurable Change Initiatives across spectrum reform, cybersecurity frameworks, roaming regulations, and satellite‑to‑device services. These initiatives demonstrate how peer learning translates into concrete reforms that expand affordable connectivity, strengthen consumer protection, and prepare regulators for emerging technologies.

The Africa round in Cotonou, Benin, is not the end of the journey but part of iPRIS’s continued engagement with African regulators. Continuous partnership beyond this meeting will be essential to ensure that the lessons learned translate into long-term reforms, stronger institutions, and more inclusive digital economies across the region. As the cohort advances its Change Initiatives and deepens regional cooperation, iPRIS remains committed to supporting regulators in adapting to emerging technologies and cross‑border challenges.

For updates and highlights on the programme’s progress, visit the iPRIS LikedIn Page.

Watch highlight videos of the iPRIS videos here.

iPRIS is coordinated and implemented by SPIDER in strategic and technical partnership with the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS) and Institut luxembourgeois de régulation (ILR), as well as ARTAC, CRASA, EACO, and WATRA.

iPRIS is funded by the European Union, Sweden, and Luxembourg as part of the Team Europe Initiative “D4D for Digital Economy and Society in Sub-Saharan Africa” (Code: 001).

The wrap-up session of the fourth iPRIS cohort on the 16th of December 2025 marked the end of a one-year institutional-strengthening cycle for the participating National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs). The moment was very special: as the cohort finished its cycle, iPRIS itself celebrated two years of implementation, two years of assisting regulators to go from learning to delivery, and from ambition to institutional change.

The teams of regulators from Kenya, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Liberia, South Sudan, and Ghana were gathered together. It was a wrap-up session and a reflection point. The session revealed the capacity regulators achieved in very complex institutional settings, how they worked around constraints, and the iPRIS methodology's practical value in capacity building, translated into concrete regulatory outcomes. The team had initially met in Namibia in early 2025 to discuss progress on change initiatives (CIs), after their first round in the iPRIS cycle in Sweden in November 2024.

Read about the cohort’s discussions and activities in Namibia here

From peer-learning to achievement

CIs, the unique activities in the regulator’s scope that each country had decided to work on, were the point of discussion. The focus was on core regulatory functions that are central to resilient digital ecosystems: the management of numbering resources, the governance of spectrum, SIM registration and KYC enforcement, and the institutional processes for consultation and approval.

There was a difference in the country context, but a common pattern emerged. The teams were able to:

• Develop or modify regulatory guidance based on evidence and stakeholder input.
• Carry out analyses to identify where existing frameworks are weak and which reform areas should be prioritised.
• Create detailed project plans that involve timelines, risk identification, and mitigation strategies.
• Involve a lot more people within the organisation, as well as stakeholders outside the organisation, in a more systematic and transparent way.

In several cases, draft guidelines and frameworks were completed and internally reviewed, with final approvals and publication pending institutional processes beyond the teams’ direct control. Rather than signalling stalled progress, these realities underscored a critical insight of the cohort: sustainable regulatory reform is as much about navigating governance systems as it is about technical design.

Country reflections: progress shaped by context

Strengthening numbering governance and future service readiness (Kenya, Zimbabwe)

Kenya and Zimbabwe anchored their Change Initiatives in the reform of national numbering frameworks to ensure readiness for evolving technologies and services.

Kenya focused on enhancing the telecommunications numbering resource administration and management framework, aiming to improve efficiency, transparency, and long-term sustainability in numbering allocation. The initiative included revising regulatory frameworks, clarifying administrative procedures, and engaging stakeholders to ensure alignment with market needs and institutional approval processes.

Zimbabwe’s Change Initiative is centred on the revision of the national numbering plan to include IoT and machine-to-machine (M2M) numbering. The team conducted a gap analysis and developed draft implementation guidance, informed by consultations with operators and regional peers. The work positioned the regulator to anticipate future services better while highlighting the importance of targeted, technically informed stakeholder engagement.

Strengthening national cybersecurity preparedness (Namibia)

Namibia’s Change Initiative focused on developing national cybersecurity incident management guidelines. The work addressed the need for clearer roles, coordination mechanisms, and response procedures in the event of cyber incidents. Through internal coordination and structured planning, the team advanced draft guidelines while navigating institutional approval processes, reinforcing the importance of preparedness as digital services expand.

Spectrum management reform amid institutional transition (Liberia)

Liberia’s team focused on FM spectrum management, responding to interference challenges, unauthorised broadcasters, and outdated regulatory provisions. Despite leadership changes within the NRA during the project period, the team completed a comprehensive regulatory review, internal validation workshops, and stakeholder engagement, including direct discussions with radio stations. While the final publication of the revised guidelines is pending formal approval, the initiative has already strengthened internal coordination and built a shared institutional understanding of spectrum governance challenges.

Enhancing SIM registration and KYC enforcement through inter-agency coordination (South Sudan)

South Sudan’s Change Initiative focused on enforcing guidelines on SIM card registration and Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements to strengthen sector integrity and consumer protection. The team developed draft enforcement guidelines, conducted stakeholder consultations with mobile network operators and relevant institutions, and identified critical dependencies with civil registration authorities, security agencies, and law enforcement bodies. The initiative underscored the importance of inter-agency coordination, data protection considerations, and sustained leadership support. While final approvals and nationwide rollout are forthcoming, the regulatory foundations for more consistent SIM registration enforcement are now in place.

Promoting consumer protection and digital inclusion in border communities (Ghana)

Ghana’s Change Initiative addressed digital inclusion and consumer protection for residents of border towns, with a specific focus on educating users about preventing automatic roaming. The initiative responded to persistent challenges faced by border communities, including unexpected roaming charges and limited awareness of consumer rights. Through structured planning, internal coordination, and targeted stakeholder engagement, the team advanced education-focused interventions while applying iPRIS project management tools to strengthen delivery and sustainability beyond the cohort cycle.

Ghana’s contribution emphasised institutional strengthening rather than a single technical reform area. The team reflected on how the iPRIS project management tools, clear objectives, structured workplans, sequencing of approvals, and risk management, supported more disciplined internal coordination and delivery. The experience highlighted the value of change management, cross-departmental collaboration, and leadership engagement in sustaining reform momentum beyond the formal iPRIS cycle.

Shared lessons from a full iPRIS cycle

Across all presentations, several cross-cutting lessons stood out:

• Project discipline matters. Tools such as clear objectives, workplans, Gantt charts, and risk registers were repeatedly cited as new and valuable practices now embedded in day-to-day regulatory work.
• Stakeholder engagement must be deliberate. Direct dialogue consistently yielded better outcomes than purely written consultations, particularly on technical issues.
• Institutional processes shape timelines. Board calendars, procurement rules, and leadership transitions are not peripheral—they are central variables that must be planned for.
• Teamwork strengthens delivery. Cross-departmental collaboration improved ownership, continuity, and resilience when challenges arose.

These lessons reflect the core premise of iPRIS: that regulatory effectiveness depends as much on institutional capability and process as on technical expertise.

Sustaining momentum beyond the cohort

As the fourth cohort concludes its cycle, the focus shifts from completion to continuity. Several teams are advancing toward publication, validation workshops, and implementation phases, building on the structures established during iPRIS. For iPRIS, the wrap-up session also marked two years of supporting various regulators in strengthening institutions from within through practical learning, peer exchange, and structured change initiatives. The fourth cohort’s experience demonstrates that even within constrained environments, regulators can deliver meaningful reform when equipped with the right tools, support, and networks. As iPRIS enters its next phase with ongoing cohorts, the achievements and lessons of this cohort provide a strong foundation for deeper impact, regional learning, and sustained institutional change across the ICT regulatory landscape.

iPRIS is coordinated and implemented by SPIDER in strategic and technical partnership with the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS) and Institut luxembourgeois de régulation (ILR), as well as ARTAC, CRASA, EACO, and WATRA.

iPRIS is funded by the European Union, Sweden, and Luxembourg as part of the Team Europe Initiative “D4D for Digital Economy and Society in Sub-Saharan Africa” (Code: 001).

 On November 28th, alongside the backdrop of the iPRIS round, a collaborative workshop in Stockholm brought together representatives from the Communications Regulators' Association of Southern Africa (CRASA), SPIDER, and Visionary Analytics. The workshop participants included Bengt G. Mölleryd and Ulf Larsson from SPIDER, Brian K. Mwansa, Acting Executive Secretary of CRASA, and Vaida Gineikytė-Kanclerė and Audronė Sadauskaitė from Visionary Analytics, with additional input from Jonas Antanavičius, who participated online. They intended to work together on a critical pre-study to help develop CRASA's regional data collection and analysis tool. The session indicated a major advancement in the direction of the regulation, based on evidence from the Southern Africa region. This area is increasingly important given the rapid changes in technology, markets, and cross-border digital services that regulators encounter. CRASA's goal is to provide its member National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs) with the necessary insights to make better decisions, advance benchmarking, and increase cooperation across the region through the establishment of a unified data approach.

The workshop outlined the pre-study rationale, scope, and objectives, making it possible for all participants to understand the project's expected outcomes and planned activities. Participants reviewed the methodology and fact-finding approach, which included the main research questions and working assumptions that would guide the study. Additionally, more of the conversation concerned the creation of indicators and a harmonisation index, two major elements for building a strong regional dataset. The group went on to discuss the preliminary concept of a data collection and analysis tool and considered ensuring the tool's significance and future scalability for the member states of CRASA.

The gathering concluded with the articulation of specific next steps: ratifying key agreements, synchronising timelines, and gearing up for the next workshop, where the basic insights gained will be further processed into practical recommendations. These joint discussions underscore the power of actively involving multiple stakeholders by gathering and leveraging regional leadership, technical expertise, and institutional partners to create instruments that support an ecosystem of regulation that is effective, transparent, and ready for the future across sub-Saharan Africa.

iPRIS is coordinated and implemented by SPIDER in strategic and technical partnership with the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS) and Institut luxembourgeois de régulation (ILR), as well as ARTAC, CRASA, EACO, and WATRA.

iPRIS is funded by the European Union, Sweden, and Luxembourg as part of the Team Europe Initiative “D4D for Digital Economy and Society in Sub-Saharan Africa” (Code: 001).

The seventh iPRIS cohort concluded its first round in the project’s cycle, with three intensive weeks in Stockholm, bringing together African National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs), Regional Regulatory Organisations (RROs), implementing partners (SPIDER and PTS), and European partners to advance the development of strategic, impactful Change Initiatives (CIs). The cycle combined institutional learning, practical regulatory insights and hands-on problem-solving to strengthen regulatory capacity and accelerate Africa’s digital transformation. The NRAs included telecom and ICT experts from the National Communications Authority (NCA Ghana), Lesotho Communications Authority (LCA), Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA), Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA The Gambia), Communications Authority (CA Kenya), and Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA). These professionals were joined by their respective RROs, who support them during the entire period of implementing their CIs, from  WATRA, EACO, and CRASA. This cohort’s successful first round marks a significant milestone, as iPRIS enters its second year, bringing together African and European telecom experts to advance the ICT landscape in sub-Saharan Africa. 

Across the sessions, various emerging issues were identified, including the fact that 93 million women in Sub-Saharan Africa did not use mobile phones, underscoring the significance of progress and the potential of telecom regulatory advancement for the African continent. According to GSMA, around 885 million women in low- and middle-income countries remain unconnected to mobile internet, many of them in Sub-Saharan Africa. Connecting the women and other marginalised groups can bring significant social and economic benefits. Digital inclusion gives women access to various resources such as education, health information, financial services, and markets; it not only uplifts micro-enterprises but also enhances household income, provides financial independence to women, and supports community development. From a macro perspective, reducing the digital gap between males and females might have significant benefits, including higher GDP growth and larger digital-economy revenue.

These numbers indicate the need to prioritise the development of telecom regulation in sub-Saharan Africa. iPRIS is doing that by uniting regulators, regional bodies, and experts into a network that is making policies focused on inclusion, affordability, infrastructure, and equity. iPRIS, through its cohort-based workshops and Change Initiatives, is giving the institutional and regulatory basis needed to formulate strategies that will turn connectivity into real and meaningful access and will realise the potential social and economic impact across Africa.

Week 1: Laying a transformative foundation

This round started with a very strong focus on building a common understanding of regulatory shifts, institutional building, and the aim of the Change Initiatives. The regulators shared their national CIs, which included spectrum roadmaps, community networks, consumer protection, emerging technologies, and satellite licensing, among others. Through guided peer review and expert input, the participants refined their initial problem statements and specified the national problems their CIs plan to solve.  It was a pivotal first day, as CIs are the cornerstone of iPRIS, representing country-specific issues that enhance the telecom landscape in the participating sub-Saharan countries and regions. 

The Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS) hosted sessions that extensively examined the issues of regulatory independence, market supervision, broadband planning and secure communications. Participants discussed the evolution of the market in Sweden from a less competitive, monopoly-type situation to a more consumer-focused market. The lessons they learned were important because they can be applied to certain African regulatory contexts. The discussions of the week also included topics such as user protection, accessibility, numbering systems, and inclusive digital policies; thus, the need for citizen-centric regulation was reiterated. The first week with the cohort strengthened their CIs with a strong analytical basis and gave them a clear picture of how regulatory frameworks can enable equitable digital markets.

Read more about the week 1 sessions here

Week 2: Deepening insights into meaningful access and future-ready regulation

In the second week, the spotlight shifted from basic concepts to the practical aspects of telecom regulation. The participants took part in expert discussions to further polish their CIs, stress-test their assumptions, and determine the data requirements. The week had one major theme: meaningful access. SPIDER led these discussions, and the participants took a step further and challenged the widespread assumption that if the network covers a location, it is connecting the users. They discussed affordability, device access, digital literacy, electricity supply, safety concerns, and cultural factors as barriers. The gender digital divide was a major issue, underscoring the critical importance of equity-driven policies for women and other marginalised groups.

The cohort also reviewed the role of sex-disaggregated data, human-centered design, and regulatory flexibility to support vulnerable populations. By the end of the second week, regulators had changed their perspective on inclusion - not just in terms of the infrastructure but also in terms of the entire ecosystem that has to be in place to allow real access to the digital world.

The discussions also revolved around the regulation of competition and the realities in African markets, the differences between European approaches and local market dynamics, the disadvantages of prepaid usage, and trends in smartphone adoption in African markets. Later in the week, participants' immersion in activities, such as a visit to Ericsson, exposed them to advanced technologies, including satellite connectivity, fixed-wireless access, network slicing, and enterprise-grade solutions. Lately, the other sessions tackled project management, monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning (MEAL). This session featured the unpacking of future Change Initiatives that would have an impact and the engagement of stakeholders.

Read more about week 2 undertakings here

Week 3: Expert input and the ‘Way Forward’

The third week marked a significant milestone in this iPRIS round, focusing on consolidating CIs, conducting expert consultations, and planning for the future. On Monday, regulators worked with European experts and RROs to refine the goals, activities, and feasibility aspects which were to be presented in their final “Way Forward” presentation later in the week. These intensive sessions not only reinforced the technical and institutional foundation of each CI but also the alignment with national priorities and the iPRIS framework in a more extensive way. Tuesday started with a presentation by Forsway Scandinavia, given by Anders Brandter, which provided participants with information on satellite-based connectivity, hybrid access models, and innovations for underserved areas.

Anders highlighted that “Digital inclusion depends on technology, but also on policy leadership. Without regulatory support, innovative solutions cannot scale.”

 Later in the day, a panel discussion with WATRA, CRASA and EACO brought up the issue of regional cooperation being a very important factor for harmonised regulation and smooth cross-border exchanges. The final project management sessions provided intensive facilitation for the participants, who then translated their CIs into action plans using the tools applied. The regulators had their drafts of the ‘Way Forward’ session submitted and devoted the last part of the day to polishing the team presentations. The last day was solely focused on the ‘Way Forward’ CI presentations. The session underscored how far each CI had progressed, moving from conceptual framing in Week 1 to detailed, context-tailored plans ready for implementation. This concluded with certificate distribution, closing remarks from the organisers, and a final evaluation session that captured participant feedback and lessons learned.

Here are some snapshots from the final week sessions: 

A cohort ready for impact

Over the three weeks, the seventh iPRIS cohort made substantial progress, from foundational learning to practical strategy design and, finally, to clear national roadmaps for transformative Change Initiatives. This first round of the iPRIS cycle for the cohort strengthened regulatory dialogue among African NRAs, RROs, and European partners, reinforcing the shared mission of expanding meaningful, inclusive, and future-ready digital access across the continent.

With their Way Forward plans now in place, participants move confidently toward their second iPRIS round in Ghana in March 2026, prepared to drive regulatory reform, enhance institutional performance and contribute to Africa’s broader digital development agenda.

iPRIS is coordinated and implemented by SPIDER in strategic and technical partnership with the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS) and Institut luxembourgeois de régulation (ILR), as well as ARTAC, CRASA, EACO, and WATRA.

iPRIS is funded by the European Union, Sweden, and Luxembourg as part of the Team Europe Initiative “D4D for Digital Economy and Society in Sub-Saharan Africa” (Code: 001).