With no official announcement from the government, Ugandans woke up on Sunday, 18 January 2026, to partial internet access after a nationwide blackout that began at 18:00 on Tuesday, 13 January. For nearly five days, four days and 6 hours, mobile data and public internet access were cut across the country before and during the general election on Thursday, 15 January.

Internet access in Uganda was not restored until about eight hours after the announcement of the presidential election results on Saturday afternoon.

Following the midnight restoration, internet access remains limited. Most used social media platforms, including WhatsApp, Facebook, X, and TikTok, are still restricted, leaving users with basic web search, YouTube, email services, e-banking apps, and other non-communication platforms.

Ride-hailing and delivery apps like SafeBoda, Faras, Glovo, and Uber are also back on. Mobile money withdrawals and several related financial services have not yet been restored.

Heavy deployment of security forces in several parts of the country is still in effect, with road access still limited in some areas.

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