Tanzania's government has committed to expanding affordable and sustainable digital connectivity across the country through collaboration with the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), development partners and the private sector. The pledge came as officials gathered in Dodoma on October 20, 2026, for a four-day national consultative engagement focused on closing the digital divide in the region. According to the Acting Director for Communications in the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, Florent Mtuka, the government aims to ensure that investments in digital infrastructure translate into reliable services that ordinary citizens and institutions can actually afford and use.
Tanzania has already invested in several digital infrastructure projects, including the National ICT Broadband Backbone, data centres, digital government services and telecommunications networks to strengthen domestic and cross-border connectivity. The country's Digital Economy Strategic Framework 2024-2034 and the Digital Tanzania Project underscore these efforts. However, significant obstacles remain in the way of reaching underserved communities. High deployment costs, dispersed populations, limited electricity infrastructure and uncertain commercial returns continue to hinder expansion into remote areas, Mr Mtuka noted. To overcome these barriers, he called for innovative financing mechanisms including public-private partnerships, concessional financing and infrastructure sharing arrangements that could reduce costs and attract investment.
The four-day engagement, held under the Inclusive Digitalization in Eastern and Southern Africa (IDEA) Programme, addresses financing models, least-cost connectivity solutions, integrated digital infrastructure planning and project preparation guidelines. Millions of people across the broader Eastern and Southern Africa region remain without internet access due to high infrastructure costs, fragmented planning and investment gaps, according to COMESA Telecommunications Office representative Leonard Chitundu. He explained that the consultation, led by Salience Consulting with COMESA's technical coordination, would help countries pinpoint connectivity gaps, refine infrastructure planning and establish sustainable financing approaches. Geospatial data and coordinated planning will help avoid duplicating efforts, make better use of resources and guide where money should go, Mr Chitundu added.
The consultations are expected to produce financing recommendations, identify priority investment opportunities and strengthen data-sharing arrangements to support connectivity expansion across the region. Participants have been urged to share their experiences and develop practical recommendations that align with both national and regional priorities. For Tanzanian savers, borrowers and business owners, affordable digital access means better access to financial services, market information and e-commerce opportunities that could expand economic participation.