The 10th National Conference on Communications (NCC 2026)

Conference Theme:

“Accelerating Market-Driven Innovation for Uganda's Development”

24th - 26th June, 2026

Submit a Paper Get in Touch

About NCC 2026

The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), in collaboration with Makerere University, is pleased to announce the 10th National Conference on Communications (NCC 2026). This milestone edition marks a decade of fostering research, innovation, and knowledge exchange within Uganda's ICT ecosystem.

Since its inception in 2010, the NCC has evolved into Uganda's premier platform for presenting peer-reviewed research, facilitating policy dialogue, and showcasing homegrown ICT solutions. The conference brings together academia, industry, government, and students to address the most pressing challenges and opportunities in Uganda's communications sector.

The 2026 theme, “Accelerating Market-Driven Innovation for Uganda’s Development,” emphasizes the critical need to align research and innovation with market realities and national development priorities. This theme reflects Uganda’s commitment to leveraging ICTs as a catalyst for achieving the Uganda Vision 2040 and the objectives of the National Development Plan IV (NDP IV).

Call for Papers

Submission Platform

All papers must be submitted electronically through the conference submission portal:

https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=ncc2026

Authors will need to create an account on the submission system.

Download the official NCC 2026 paper template (Download Word Template | Download LaTeX Template).

⚠️ Important Submission Notes
Time: All deadlines are at 23:59 EAT (East Africa Time).
Policy: Late submissions will not be considered.
Integrity: All submitted papers will undergo a plagiarism check before review.

Conference Tracks and Sub-themes

Papers are invited across the following thematic tracks. Each track encompasses multiple sub-themes to encourage comprehensive exploration of market-driven innovation in Uganda’s communications sector:

Track 1: Digital Infrastructure, Connectivity & Future Networks

Focus: Innovations in infrastructure and technologies that enhance national connectivity and digital access.

Sub-themes:

  • 5G and beyond
  • Rural connectivity and last-mile technologies
  • Spectrum management and efficiency
  • Infrastructure sharing and cost optimization
  • Satellite & LEO communications for broader access
  • Network resilience and energy-efficient systems
  • Green & energy-efficient wireless networks
  • Physical layer security and secure wireless communications

Track 2: Digital Financial Services, FinTech & Economic Inclusion

Focus: Technologies transforming financial access, inclusion, trust, and digital economic participation.

Sub-themes:

  • Mobile money ecosystem, interoperability & agent networks
  • Digital lending, credit scoring, and alternative finance
  • Blockchain & crypto for finance and supply chains
  • Fraud/security in e-finance services
  • Regulatory technology (RegTech) & compliance
  • Financial inclusion

Track 3: Digital Content, Media, Broadcasting & Creative Innovation

Focus: The evolving media landscape, content creation, distribution platforms, and creative digital experiences.

Sub-themes:

  • Digital terrestrial television & digital migration optimization
  • OTT services, streaming platforms, and audience analytics
  • Community broadcasting innovations
  • Digital advertising & market insights
  • Immersive media (VR/AR/360° content experiences)

Track 4: Artificial Intelligence, Data Science & Trustworthy Technology

Focus: AI, data analytics, ethical considerations, language computing, and secure digital systems.

Sub-themes:

  • AI applications across sectors
  • NLP for Ugandan/local languages
  • Computer vision & contextual intelligent systems
  • Big data for policy, planning & urban analytics
  • Ethical AI frameworks, data privacy & protection
  • AI-driven cybersecurity and threat detection

Track 5: Smart Societies: E-Government, Urban Innovation & Public Services

Focus: Digital transformation of public services, smart city frameworks, participatory governance, and urban tech.

Sub-themes:

  • E-government platforms, digital IDs & service delivery
  • Smart city technologies
  • Citizen engagement and digital participatory governance
  • Rural public service digitalization

Track 6: ICT for Social Impact: Health, Education & Human Development

Focus: ICT innovations that directly support wellbeing, learning, skills development, inclusion, and social systems.

Sub-themes:

  • Telemedicine, remote monitoring & digital health records
  • mHealth, epidemic surveillance & digital mental health
  • E-learning platforms, digital literacy & coding education
  • EdTech innovations (adaptive learning, OERs, MOOCs)
  • Digital skills development
  • Assistive technologies for inclusive participation

Track 7: Agriculture, Environmental Resilience & Digital Empowerment

Focus: ICT’s role in enhancing agricultural productivity, sustainability, and climate resilience.

Sub-themes:

  • Precision farming, IoT sensors & smart agritech
  • Agricultural markets, digital supply chains & traceability
  • Weather & climate information services for farmers
  • Drones and remote sensing for crop monitoring
  • Digital extension services and farmer training

Track 8: Policy, Regulation, Cybersecurity & Innovation Ecosystems

Focus: The frameworks that enable safe, inclusive, competitive, and sustainable digital transformation as well as technology ventures.

Sub-themes:

  • ICT policy, regulation & reform (telecoms, digital rights)
  • Universal access, consumer protection & competition policy
  • Cybersecurity, privacy protection & digital trust
  • Cybercrime, cloud security & secure software development
  • Innovation ecosystems: startups, incubators, investment
  • Intellectual property, commercialization & venture scaling

Submission Guidelines

We invite researchers, practitioners, innovators, policymakers, and students to submit original research papers, case studies, and technical reports that contribute to advancing Uganda’s digital transformation agenda.

Types of Submissions:

We welcome the following types of submissions:

  • Full Research Papers: Original research contributions presenting novel methodologies, implementations, or findings (maximum of 8 pages)
  • Extended Abstract: Work-in-progress, preliminary results, or focused contributions (3-4 pages)
  • Industry Case Studies: Real-world deployments, implementations, and lessons learned from industry practice (4-6 pages)
  • Policy and Position Papers: Analysis of policy issues, regulatory frameworks, or strategic perspectives (4-6 pages)

Formatting Requirements:

  • Papers must be written in English
  • Use the official NCC 2026 paper template (Download Word Template | Download LaTeX Template). Do not change the paper size, font type or font size in the templates.
  • Include title, author names, affiliations, abstract (150–250 words), and 4–6 keywords.

Review Process:

All submissions will undergo a rigorous peer-review process:

  • Each paper will be reviewed by at least two independent reviewers
  • Review criteria include originality, technical quality, relevance to conference theme, clarity of presentation, and potential impact
  • Authors will be notified of acceptance, revision requirements, or rejection
  • Accepted papers may be recommended for journal publication in selected partner journals

Publication and Presentation:

  • All accepted papers will be published in the NCC 2026 conference proceedings
  • Selected high-quality papers will be recommended for publication in partner academic journals
  • At least one author of each accepted paper must register to attend the conference
  • Authors will present their work in oral or poster sessions

Important Dates

7 Milestones
📅
Call for Papers Opens
Wednesday, February 18, 2026
📅
Abstract Submission Deadline (Optional)
Friday, March 21, 2026
📅
Full Paper Submission Deadline
Friday, May 1, 2026
📅
Review Results Notification
Friday, May 22, 2026
📅
Camera-Ready Paper Submission
Friday, June 5, 2026
📅
Author Registration Deadline
Friday, June 15, 2026
⭐
Conference Dates
June 24–26, 2026

Pre-Conference Activities

NCC 2026 will feature a series of pre-conference activities aimed at building research, publishing, and innovation capacity among students, researchers, and practitioners.

Publishing Masterclass Series

6 Sessions

Learn from experienced editors and publishers about getting your research published in top-tier journals and conferences. Covers peer review processes, writing techniques, and publication strategies.

📅

8th April 2026

📍 Makerere University

📅

10th April 2026

📍 Mbarara University of Science and Technology

💻

13th April 2026

Online

📅

14th April 2026

📍 Gulu University

📅

15th April 2026

📍 Busitema University

💻

20th April 2026

Online

School ICT Clubs Innovation Competition

A platform for high school students across the different parts of the country to showcase innovative ICT projects. Winners receive recognition, prizes, and opportunities to present at the main conference.

Dates to be Communicated

Our Partners

UCC logo
Makerere logo

Organizing Committee

Prof. Moses Musinguzi
Chief Patron
Dr. Abubakar Wasswa Matovu
General Chair
Dr. Roseline N. Akol
General Co-Chair
Dr. Edwin Mugume
Technical Programme Chair
Dr. Tonny Ssetumba
Technical Programme Co-Chair
Dr. Jane K. Namaganda
Finance Chair
Mr. Frank Ssemakula
Student Activities Chair
Mr. Paul Kyoma
Local Arrangements Chair
Ms. Harriet Musinguzi
Publicity & Website Chair
Ms. Agatha Turyagyenda
Virtual Platform Chair
Dr. Jonathan Serugunda
Industry Liaison Chair
Dr. Andrew Katumba
Proceedings Chair

Get in Touch

Have questions about paper submission, pre-conference activities, or partnership opportunities? Contact us below.

Contact Information

📧
🌐

UCC Website

www.ucc.co.ug

📱

Mobile

+256 756 659968

Send us a Message

Thank you! Your message has been sent successfully.