National Communication Authority (South Sudan)

Last updated
National Communication Authority
Logo of NCA- South Sudan.png
Agency overview
FormedJune 2015
JurisdictionGovernment of South Sudan
Headquarters Juba, South Sudan
Agency executive
  • Gieth Kon Mathiang, Director General
Parent departmentMinistry of Information, Communication Technology and Postal Services
Website www.nca.gov.ss

The National Communication Authority is the national regulatory body responsible for managing the telecommunications, broadcasting, information and communications technology (ICT), and postal services sectors in the Republic of South Sudan. It operates under the mandate of the National Communication Act, 2012 and was officially launched in June 2015. [1] [2]

Contents

On Tuesday, May 13, 2025, Gieth Kon Mathiang Kun assumed the role of the Director General of the agency, a day after his appointment, through a Republic Decree to replace his predecessor, Adok Napoleon. [3]

History

The NCA was established following the enactment of the National Communication Act, 2012. The authority became fully operational in 2015 and has since been regulating South Sudan’s ICT and telecom environment. [1] [4] [5]

Leadership and organization

The authority is headed by the Director General, currently Gieth Kon Mathiang Kun, and operates under a board of directors. [6] [7] It has 9 management personnel and 8 directorates including:

Duties of the NCA

Under the 2012 Act and its statutory mandate, the NCA is responsible for:

Key initiatives and activities

Infrastructure and digital access

The NCA works on expanding digital infrastructure across South Sudan. In 2024, it partnered with Starlink , a satellite internet provider, to increase broadband coverage in rural and underserved areas. It also signed a 15-year license agreement with MTN South Sudan in 2025, to improve service delivery and telecom investment. [9] [10] [11]

Regional and capacity development

On 11 March 2025, NCA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the African Advanced Level Telecommunications Institute (AFRALTI) for technical training and cross-border collaboration in the mobile communication sector. [12] It also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with GoGirls ICT to promote digital inclusion and empower women and girls through mentorship and digital skills development. [13] [14]

Regulatory and revenue achievements

In April 2024, the NCA issued a 30-day ultimatum to unlicensed satellite service providers to register and regularize their operations, an enforcement of its licensing mandate under the 2012 Act. [15] Under its current leadership, the NCA has collected approximately SSP  5,000,000,000 monthly from telecom operators. It also enforces tariff regulation and licensing practices to stabilize service pricing and quality. [16]

Content regulation and crisis response

In January 2025, the NCA ordered the temporary suspension of Facebook and TikTok following the circulation of videos related to conflict in neighboring Sudan citing public safety and national-security concerns under the Communication Act. This raised concerns about freedom of expression amongst Human rights groups. [17] [18] [19] [20] The ban was lifted on 27 January 2025, after the NCA declared that its objectives which is the removal of inflammatory content, had been met. [21] [22]

International engagement

The NCA actively participates in international initiatives to modernize ICT governance, cybersecurity, and digital transformation. In January 2025, NCA partnered with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), to hold a stakeholder engagement workshop on Digital Financial Services (DFS) to guide regulators and service providers in implementing secure ICT-based financial systems in South Sudan. [23] In June 2025, the NCA hosted the 1st Advisory Council and the 30th Annual Assemblies of EACO in Juba. [24] [25] At the conclusion of the 2025 Assemblies, South Sudan, via the NCA assumed the Chairmanship of EACO, with the NCA’s Director General serving as the Chairman. [26] The NCA has also been listed among South Sudanese stakeholders in the Eastern Africa Regional Digital Integration Project (EARDIP), a project involving regional cooperation under the initiatives of the World Bank and other partners. [27] [28]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Overview of NCA". NCA SSD. Retrieved 2025-06-29.
  2. ↑ "Opinion | The role of National Communication Authority as South Sudan prepares for elections". Radio Tamazuj. 2023-12-08. Retrieved 2025-06-29.
  3. ↑ cfeditoren (2025-05-14). "NCA new boss Gieth Kon takes office". South Sudan. Retrieved 2025-06-29.
  4. 1 2 3 "National Communication Authority | Communication Authority of South Sudan". NCA SSD. Retrieved 2025-11-30.
  5. 1 2 "Mandate". NCA SSD. Retrieved 2025-11-30.
  6. ↑ "Board of Directors". NCA SSD. Retrieved 2025-06-29.
  7. ↑ "Office of the Director General". NCA SSD. Retrieved 2025-06-29.
  8. ↑ "National Communication Authority | Communication Authority of South Sudan". NCA SSD. Retrieved 2025-11-30.
  9. ↑ Team, Editorial (2024-07-15). "South Sudan Partners with Starlink for Affordable National Internet Access". TechAfrica News. Retrieved 2025-06-29.
  10. ↑ "South Sudan unveils approved Starlink tariffs". www.connectingafrica.com. Retrieved 2025-06-29.
  11. ↑ Goor, Akuot (2025-04-14). "Government signs 15- year license with MTN South Sudan". The Dawn Newspaper. Retrieved 2025-06-29.
  12. ↑ Chang, Koang (2025-03-12). "NCA partners with AFRALTI to promote cross-border mobile technologies". Eye Radio. Retrieved 2025-06-29.
  13. ↑ "Memorandum of Understanding with the National Communications Authority – NCA, South Sudan | GoGirls ICT Initiative" . Retrieved 2025-06-29.
  14. ↑ cfeditoren (2025-03-13). "NCA partners with AFRALTI to promote cross-border mobile technologies". South Sudan. Retrieved 2025-11-30.
  15. ↑ admin@juba (2024-04-03). "The Juba Mirror" . Retrieved 2025-11-30.
  16. ↑ Chang, Koang (2024-02-21). "Adok says NCA collects close to SSP.5 billion in revenue monthly". Eye Radio. Retrieved 2025-06-29.
  17. ↑ "South Sudan suspends social media platforms over videos of Sudan killings". Reuters. 2025-01-23. Retrieved 2025-06-29.
  18. ↑ umajulius (2025-01-23). "South Sudan orders temporary ban on social media". Sudan Tribune. Retrieved 2025-11-30.
  19. ↑ "South Sudan blocks social media following recent violence". www.aa.com.tr. Retrieved 2025-11-30.
  20. ↑ Opanuga, Jimisayo (2025-01-22). "S.Sudan orders internet firms to block social media access". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. Retrieved 2025-11-30.
  21. ↑ "South Sudan lifts social media ban". sudan independent (in Arabic). Retrieved 2025-11-30.
  22. ↑ admin@juba (2025-01-27). "The Juba Mirror" . Retrieved 2025-11-30.
  23. ↑ "Stakeholder Engagement workshop on Digital Financial Services (DFS) for South Sudan". ITU. Retrieved 2025-11-30.
  24. ↑ suc_webmaster (2025-06-13). "South Sudan hosts 1st EACO Advisory Council and 30th General Assemblies". iPRIS. Retrieved 2025-11-30.
  25. ↑ "THE 1ST ADVISORY COUNCIL AND 30TH ANNUAL ASSEMBLIES OF EACO". NCA SSD. Retrieved 2025-11-30.
  26. ↑ Goor, Akuot (2025-06-19). "South Sudan Assumes Chairmanship of EACO". The Dawn Newspaper. Retrieved 2025-11-30.
  27. ↑ "Eastern Africa steps up drive for Spectrum Harmonisation to accelerate digital integration". www.eac.int. Retrieved 2025-11-30.
  28. ↑ "Eastern Africa Regional Digital Integration Project". www.eac.int. Retrieved 2025-11-30.
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