Africa’s regulators flock to Tanzania for lessons
DAR ES SALAAM: THE Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) has emerged as a continental benchmark in ICT innovation and communications regulation, attracting delegations from across Africa eager to learn from its practices and systems.
TCRA Director General Dr Jabiri Bakari hosted a delegation from South Africa’s Independent Communications Authority (ICASA), who visited the TCRA offices for a one-day study tour.
“Currently, TCRA continues to receive delegations from various African countries, with more visits being planned,” said Dr Bakari. “This growing interest is a result of the government’s deliberate investments in the communications sector under the leadership of President Samia Suluhu Hassan including the construction of 758 new towers, primarily in underserved areas.”
In recent months, TCRA has hosted regulatory delegations from Mali, the Comoros, Burundi, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Kenya, and Uganda.
According to Dr Bakari, these visits are driven by TCRA’s strong performance and effective use of robust ICT systems to monitor and manage communications services. This success has earned the authority international recognition, including ISO certification for quality assurance.
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He told the delegation from ICASA that over 90 per cent of TCRA’s operations are now digitally managed, significantly reducing reliance on paper-based processes. This digital transformation includes platforms such as the Tanzanite Portal, which allows stakeholders to apply for licenses online and receive approvals in a short time. Internal communications and workflow systems are also fully digitised.
The ICASA delegation consisted of four members from its Finance and Planning Committee, who sought to understand how TCRA leverages its systems to manage financial operations.
“Our systems are developed and managed by local experts most of whom have studied in Tanzanian institutions,” Dr Bakari added. “Relying on in-house professionals not only cuts costs associated with external service providers but also enhances local expertise and creates employment opportunities. All our ICT specialists are Tanzanian.”
Speaking on behalf of the ICASA delegation, Committee Chairperson Ms Nompucuko expressed gratitude to Dr Bakari for granting their request to learn from TCRA. She affirmed their belief that they had come to the right place.
“Your reputation is well known, especially at international forums. TCRA is consistently cited as a model regulator in the sub-Saharan region,” she said.
Nompucuko commended TCRA’s modern and efficient operations, particularly its use of ICT systems to deliver timely and reliable services. “You’ve made significant investments in internal systems it’s impressive. At ICASA, we do not yet have such systems and still depend on external vendors for these services.”
The South African delegation held discussions with TCRA experts from the Finance and Planning, ICT, Research, and Communications Systems Management departments. They also toured the Authority’s Electronic Equipment Type Approval Laboratory.
Ms Nompucuko concluded by praising TCRA for providing a rich learning experience and expressed interest in returning with more technical experts to deepen their understanding and eventually develop and operate similar systems back home.
