# Uganda Data Plan Faces Legal Challenge

> Uganda's government launches data strategy, but statistics bureau calls it illegal.
- Title: Uganda Data Plan Faces Legal Challenge · The Rio Times
- Summary: Uganda's government launches data strategy, but statistics bureau calls it illegal. Uganda's government launched a five-year National Data Strategy costing…
- Keywords: uganda, national data strategy, uganda bureau of statistics, ict ministry, data centres, legal dispute, shs1662600000000, usd454000000, news, world, politics, Data
- Source: The Rio Times — https://riotimesonline.com/uganda-national-data-strategy-legal-row
- Author: Contributing Reporter
- Published: 2026-10-21T21:53:03+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: uganda, national data strategy, uganda bureau of statistics, ict ministry, data centres, legal dispute, shs1662600000000, usd454000000, news, world, politics
## Uganda Launches Data Plan
Uganda's government launched a five-year National Data Strategy costing Shs1,662.6 billion (about US$454 million) on Tuesday 20 October 2026.
## Statistics Bureau Calls It Illegal
The Uganda Bureau of Statistics declared the plan illegal a day later, on Wednesday 21 October 2026.
## Plan Costs Shs1,662.6 Billion
The strategy costs Shs1,662.6 billion (about US$454 million) over five years, with Shs1,220 billion from government funds.
## Data Centres and Targets
The plan aims to build two Tier IV data centres and store 10 petabytes of government data by 2030/31.
## Legal Dispute Over Authority
The Uganda Bureau of Statistics claims the ICT ministry overstepped its legal authority under the Uganda Bureau of Statistics Act of 1998.
## No Government Response Yet
The ICT ministry has not publicly responded to the statistics bureau's objection as of Wednesday 21 October 2026.
## US Companies Eye Opportunity
US cloud and infrastructure firms may benefit from the data centres, but the legal dispute could delay contracts.
## Unclear Responsibilities
It is not known how the National Data Office, steering committee, and UBOS will share responsibilities.
## No Funding Details Yet
The full Shs1,662.6 billion has not been appropriated, and no location or construction timetable for data centres is public.
## Key takeaway

Uganda's government launched a five-year National Data Strategy costing Shs1,662.6 billion (US$454 million) but the Uganda Bureau of Statistics declared it illegal within a day.