In October 2015, Nairobi hosted the 11th Heads of State Summit of the Northern Corridor Integration Project (NCIP). The meeting, attended by the presidents of Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda and South Sudan, was convened to review the progress of strategic regional infrastructure projects. The heads of state pushed for the implementation of the Northern Corridor Technology Alliance (NCTA) — a regional sector alliance formed to champion the implementation of key ICT projects within the NCIP. The NCTA was formally launched in Kigali on July 17, 2015 and consists of a 24-member steering committee, with six representatives from each partner country and a chief co-ordinator.

NCTA aims to deliver earmarked ICT projects using local firms and expertise. In addition, it aims to ensure that all implemented projects generate enough revenue to repay the initial project capitalization costs. Partner countries could assign projects to local companies before the end of 2016. Under the MoU signed by the private sector apex bodies in partner states, various firms in these countries will have the opportunity to compete for more than $500 million worth of tech projects available for implementation under a public private partnership. Currently, e-Soko trading platforms have already been earmarked for implementation by Kenya. Similarly, e-Learning (knowledge management) has been allocated to Uganda while e-Immigration has been assigned to Rwanda.

NCTA’s proposed structures include a board and a secretariat, with members drawn from all the partner states. In addition, NCTA will also adopt its own project management and quality control mechanisms to vet companies from the partner states — after which it will recommend competent companies to the partner governments. NCTA will also conduct feasibility studies and arrange appropriate financial mechanisms to fund the projects before making a final recommendation to the government for contractual disbursements.

Source: The East African

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