ICT Policy & Regulation – Institutional Strengthening (iPRIS) – Boosting the Capacities of African Telecom Regulators Through Peer to Peer Learning

Summary

ICT Policy & Regulation – Institutional Strengthening (iPRIS) contributes to bridging the digital divide by enhancing inclusive and meaningful digital connectivity in Africa. It does so by boosting the capacities of African telecom regulators through peer-to-peer learning with African and European counterparts.

Details

Aim

The main objectives or the project are

• Unlock untapped development potential in Sub-Saharan Africa;
• Improve the quality of ICT services;
• Leverage digital technologies to drive overall development;
• Enhance connectivity and digital inclusion.

Context

iPRIS is coordinated and implemented by SPIDER, in strategic and technical partnership with the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS) and the Luxembourg Regulatory Institute (ILR). It builds on the success of a similar programme implemented by SPIDER and PTS which engaged 27 English-speaking African regulators between 2016 and 2022.

Between 2023 and 2028, iPRIS will engage national and regional telecom regulators in 43 countries across sub-Saharan Africa to drive social and economic prosperity using ICT. Telecom regulators are key to ensuring ICT access, competition, consumer protection, and innovation in order to unlock development potential. Over the five-year period, the project aims to enhance digital connectivity and drive social and economic prosperity using ICT across sub-Saharan Africa. The project provides a platform for inclusive peer-to-peer capacity-building for National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs) and Regional Regulatory Organisations (RROs), recognising the significance of ICT policies and regulations in promoting digital inclusion, equitable access to the Internet, consumer rights protection, and personal data safeguarding.

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”

Outcomes

• 43 National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs) in Africa are benefitting from this project.
• 4 Regional Regulatory Authorities (RRAs) are also benefitting from the project

  • Communications Regulators’ Association of Southern Africa (CRASA);

  • West Africa Telecommunications Regulations Assembly (WATRA);

  • East Africa Communications Organisations (EACO);

  • Assembly of Telecommunications Regulators of Central Africa (ARTAC).

• 340 leaders will be trained as part of this program.