Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda and South Sudan have opened a dedicated bank account to finance a feasibility study for a jointly owned regional communications satellite, officials disclosed during the Northern Corridor Integration Projects implementation clusters meeting in Kampala.
The account, named “East African Development Bank–NCIP,” was opened at Standard Chartered Bank Uganda to receive contributions from the partner states.
The countries have until September 30, 2026, to deposit their agreed contributions and launch the study.
Richard Kabonero, the head of NCIP at Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the participating countries had already approved the project roadmap and budget.
“We agreed on the satellite project roadmap. A comprehensive feasibility study was agreed on during the April 2026 meeting in Nairobi,” Kabonero told officials from Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda and South Sudan at Mestil Hotel.
“An account was opened at Standard Chartered Bank Uganda for partner states to deposit their contributions. The deadline is September 30, 2026, to launch the study,” he added.
The initiative is intended to examine the technical, commercial and regulatory viability of acquiring a communications satellite owned by the participating governments.
Officials did not disclose the cost of the study or how much each country is expected to contribute.
A technical official told the meeting that all preparatory requirements had been completed and that commencement of the study now depended on the release of money by the participating states.
“The account is available now. It is at the point of member states contributing to that account so that the feasibility study can start,” the official said. “When it comes to the terms of reference, everything is ready.”
Another official urged the governments to begin remitting their contributions, saying: “The account is open, and we are urging the member states to begin remitting their contributions.”
Kabonero called on Uganda, which chairs the cluster, to lead by example and make its payment before pressing the other countries to contribute.
The satellite study forms part of a wider NCIP programme seeking to establish a single digital market, integrate mobile financial services, reduce roaming costs and expand cross-border broadband connectivity.
Uganda has completed a study on the proposed single digital market, which is under review by the partner states.
The review is expected to identify implementable projects capable of improving technological efficiency and supporting the proposed satellite.
“Uganda completed a study on the single digital market, currently under review by partner states to extract actionable projects that support the establishment of a single digital market and the acquisition of a partner-state-owned communications satellite,” Kabonero said.
