Tanzania allocates 103.6bn/- for expansion of the National ICT Backbone

DODOMA: THE Tanzanian government has allocated 103.6bn/- for the construction and expansion of the National ICT Backbone, described as the core infrastructure underpinning digital services in the country.

Presenting the 2026/2027 fiscal year budget on April 30, 2026, the Minister for Communication and Information Technology, Angellah Kairuki, stated that key initiatives will include connecting the National ICT Backbone to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This move is expected to expand regional connectivity and facilitate cross-border trade and investment flows.

In addition, 20 sites will be connected to the backbone network. The government also plans to construct two modern data centres in Dodoma and Zanzibar to enhance data security, redundancy, and digital storage capacity.

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To strengthen internet service delivery, the ministry will oversee the development of seven Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) and enable public Wi-Fi access in 100 locations nationwide. This intervention is expected to significantly improve internet accessibility and reduce latency for end users.

Within the education sector, 100 schools will be connected to the backbone through last-mile connectivity solutions, enabling students and teachers to access digital learning resources more effectively.