DDP client-facing grants are instrumental in supporting policy and regulatory reforms that create or expand markets by improving competition, enhancing regulatory practices, and addressing market failures causing high prices and otherwise limiting access to mobile and fixed broadband. As of June 30, 2025, DDP grants supported the adoption of 22 reforms, listed below.
| DDP Grant Name(s) | Grant Number | Reform |
|---|---|---|
Côte d'Ivoire: Policy Support to Accelerate Digitalization | TF0C3507 | Adoption of the Bill of Electronic Telecommunications (Code des Communications Electroniques) offering the latest generation of regulations to support investments in new generation networks (fiber, 5G). |
| Ethiopia: Telecom Sector Reform Ethiopia: Telecom Reform | TF0A9039* TF0C3020 | Approval of the Personal Data Protection Proclamation establishing the legal framework to protect and secure personal administrative data. |
| ECA Determination on Significant Market Power (SMP). This provides a legal basis for a challenge against the dominance of the incumbent operator, or any other operator deemed to have SMP, to ensure a level regulatory playing field. | ||
| ECA Determination on Mobile Termination Rates (MTRs), cutting such rates -- from 0.31 Ethiopian Birr ($0.005) to 0.23 Ethiopian Birr (US$0.004) per minute, a 25.8% reduction -- for the next five years to encourage more competition, and lower prices, in the country’s telecommunications sector. The MTR is one of the components in the cost of providing telephone service, and the one most critical to the viability of the new market entrant. | ||
| Kazakhstan Digital Enabling Environment Assessment | TF0B2363* | Establishing competitive auctions to assign 5G radio spectrum bands, as evidenced by Order No. 434/НҚ |
Allowing for infrastructure sharing by electricity operators for fiber-optic cable deployment, as evidenced by Act No. 141-VII | ||
Ensuring that personal data owners have rights to request withdrawal of their personal information and prohibiting making decisions affecting rights and legitimate interests of personal data subjects solely based on automatic data processing, as evidenced by Act No. 141-VII | ||
Kenya: Accelerating Digital Economy Development | TF0C3049 | Eliminating restrictions related to a requirement of 30 percent local equity participation for ICT providers by revising the National ICT Policy Guidelines 2020. |
Côte d'Ivoire: Policy Support to Accelerate Digitalization | TF0C3507 | Adoption of Decree No. 2024-799 on the telecom sector’s contributions (such as regulatory fees and contribution to research, training, and standardization) ensuring that telecom companies contribute fairly to the sector's development and regulatory oversight. |
Adoption of Decree No. 2015-80 on the categorization of telecom activities to better define and organize different types of telecommunications services, aiming to strengthen the proper management and oversight of the telecom sector. | ||
Adoption of a Ministerial Arrêté No. 511/MPTIC/CAB outlining the qualifications, responsibilities, and conditions of employment for Data Protection Officers (DPOs), strengthening the framework for the protection of personal data and addressing several issues identified over the years, such as the lack of resources, insufficient protection, and conflicts of interest faced by Data Protection Officers. | ||
DE4LAC Jamaica | TF0B5128* | Introduction of a requirement by the Office of the Information Commissioner for public and private entities to register as data controllers, and monitoring of their performance through the Data Protection, Data Controller Registration and Disposal of Personal Data Regulations. |
Enhancement by the Office of Utilities Regulation of quality standards requirements expected of fixed and mobile voice service providers and fixed and mobile internet service providers, and improvement the dispute resolution mechanism through the Telecommunications (i) Quality of service rules and (ii) Dispute Resolution rules. | ||
Cameroon: Mutualization of Fiber Optic Across Utilities | TF0C4028 | Adoption of the Personal Data Protection Law No. 2024/017 which establishes a legal framework for safeguarding personal data, introducing individual rights, creating a supervisory authority, mandating consent rules, protecting minors, and setting penalties for violations, thereby aligning with international standards and enhancing legal certainty for businesses and public institutions. |
Ethiopia: Telecom Sector Reform | TF0C3020 | Approval of the National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) Payment System Directive (i.e., amendment to the “Licensing and Authorization of Payment Instrument Issuer” Directive, ONPS/10/2025) mandating all financial institutions providing payment and digital financial services to participate in the instant payment system operated by the National Switch (EthSwitch), ensuring broader customer reach and seamless interoperability at lower cost, as well as NBE capital adequacy compliance with national paymentsystem regulations and Basel Core Principles. |
| Madagascar: Strengthening the Digital Regulator | TF0C2371 | Adoption of Decree No. 2025-292 on spectrum and numbering management (planning, licensing, assignment, valuation; enabling trading/sharing/repurposing) aiming to promote competition in the telecommunications sector. |
Adoption of Decree No. 2025-049 liberalizing USSD gateway services aiming to promote competition in the telecommunications sector as well as customer protection, including provisions to safeguard consumer rights and promote fair practices. | ||
Philippines: Digital Connectivity Policy Dialogue and Analytics | TF0C5721 | Adoption of the Konektadong Pinoy Act that lowers barriers to competition and investment, by removing prominent legislative franchise requirements for all network segments (international cable landing station, backbone and middle-/last- mile, introducing open access policy and ex-ante competition regulations to prevent anti-competitive pricing of wholesale bandwidth, and lowering investment costs by mandating infrastructure sharing. The Act is expected to increase transparency and flexibility in spectrum assignment and management, thereby enhancing competition in wireless services, enabling rural coverage expansion such as through community wireless network, and increasing fiscal revenue from spectrum. |
Sri Lanka: Digital Economy Advisory | TF0C3461 | Enactment of the Amendments Act No.39 of 2024 to the Sri Lanka Telecommunications Act No. 25 to expand access to affordable services. |
Issuance of implementing regulations for the adoption of a sector specific competition regulation framework as evidenced by Rules made by the TRCSL and published in the Official Gazette, to facilitate private capital and develop competitive markets. | ||
Uzbekistan: Supporting Policy Dialogue on Telecommunications Sector | TF0C5931 | Adoption of the Uzbekistan Telecommunications Law (ZRU-1015), also known as the new Law "On Telecommunications," replacing the previous version from 1999 to foster competition and regulate the telecom sector in response to rapid technological advancements. |
West Bank & Gaza: Digital Infrastructure Technical Assistance | TF0C6212 | Adoption of Decree-Law No. (17) of 2024 regarding electronic transactions and trust services, aiming to provide a robust legal framework for digital services, making electronic documents and signatures legally equivalent to physical ones and enhancing trust in e-commerce. |
