By Nadia Siima
Africa-Press – Uganda. As of 2025, Uganda has approximately 14.2 million internet users, representing just 28% of the population. This means that 72% of Ugandans remain offline.
This stark digital divide is not just a statistic—it is a barrier to progress.
“A widening digital divide and severely lagging internet use in developing countries threaten to leave those states in the technological wake and preclude progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” notes a Senior United Nations Officer.
Indeed, when millions are excluded from digital access, advancement on critical SDGs—poverty reduction, equality, peace, and justice—is severely compromised.
As leaders and people of influence, why aren’t we more deeply concerned about those being left behind?
The Bible offers a lesson in intentional action. In 1 Samuel 11, when Saul rescues the city of Jabesh, he acts decisively. He cuts a pair of oxen into pieces and sends them throughout Israel, making a dramatic proclamation about the consequences for those who do not support him and Samuel in battle.
Saul’s actions demonstrate purposeful, proportionate response to the challenge at hand—a lesson in the power of intentionality.
This story raises a crucial question: are today’s policymakers, government officials, and systems acting with the same scale and intent as the challenges they face? Are the initiatives being implemented commensurate with the magnitude of the digital divide?
Each of us has the power to initiate change. While our individual influence may vary, the work we can do for our communities should never be underestimated. We must act meaningfully and proportionately to the issues we see, making a lasting impact.
Young people in vulnerable communities are striving for a sense of belonging in an increasingly digital world.
Yet barriers persist: gender disparities limit women’s access to technology, education and digital skills remain insufficient, and half of Ugandan youth are neither in employment, education, nor training (Uganda Bureau of Statistics, 2024).
With only 28% of Ugandans online, the risk of deepening inequality is real.
Failing to bridge this digital divide threatens to exacerbate poverty, inequality, and social exclusion, creating challenges that may become increasingly difficult to overcome.
Just as Saul’s decisive action led to victory and rejoicing among the Israelites, we too must respond with scale, intentionality, and urgency. Only then can we foster togetherness, collaboration, and meaningful progress in our communities.
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