DODOMA: TANZANIA’S ambitious Digital Tanzania Project, which aims to establish 758 communication towers across the country, has made remarkable progress, with 57 per cent of the construction works completed.
Launched by President Samia Suluhu Hassan in May 2023, the project is designed to improve communication access across the country.
During the launch, President Samia oversaw the signing of contracts between telecommunications companies and the Universal Communications Access Fund (UCSAF) to build the towers nationwide.
According to UCSAF’s Chief Executive Officer, Engineer Peter Mwasalyanda, over 430 communication towers have been completed, representing 55 per cent of the overall project.
The initiative, under UCSAF, seeks to improve mobile network coverage in rural and underserved areas, marking a significant achievement during President Samia’s four years in office.
In May 2023, the government signed contracts worth 126bn/- with service providers to extend reliable mobile connectivity to 713 wards across 127 districts in all 26 regions of the country.
Once completed, the project is expected to benefit approximately 8.5m/-.
Speaking in Dodoma yesterday, Eng Mwasalyanda said that the 758 towers project is the largest initiative ever undertaken by UCSAF.
“As of March 2025, 430 towers have been built and are already serving residents in rural areas,” Mwasalyanda stated.
In addition to the construction of new towers, UCSAF has also upgraded 304 existing towers from 2G to 3G and 4G networks. This upgrade, in collaboration with telecom providers such as Airtel, Vodacom, Tigo (Yas) and TTCL, at a cost of 5.5bn/-, has significantly improved internet speed and reliability, especially in remote areas.
Furthermore, Mwasalyanda said a separate initiative that was launched in January 2022 in Zanzibar, in partnership with Zantel/Yas has resulted in the construction of 42 towers across 38 shehias at a cost of 6.9bn/-, greatly improving mobile network access in the archipelago.
Beyond network expansion, UCSAF has introduced free public Wi-Fi hotspots in key locations, including educational institutions and markets.
“Seven locations, such as Nyerere Square in Dodoma and markets in Mwanza and Tabora, now offer free internet access,” Mwasalyanda added.
During the Sabasaba exhibitions, 17 additional sites were equipped with free Wi-Fi, with the government allocating 374m/- for this initiative.
According to Mwasalyanda, UCSAF has also distributed ICT equipment to 1,121 schools at a total cost of 5.94bn/- and 3,798 teachers have undergone ICT training to enhance digital literacy in classrooms across the nation.
In addition, UCSAF has allocated 1.8bn/- to provide specialised ICT equipment to 22 schools catering to students with special needs. The equipment includes Braille machines, laptops, digital voice recorders, and other assistive technologies. Mwasalyanda also noted the crucial role of the Tanzania Postal Corporation (TPC) in national development.
“Over the past four years, UCSAF has supported TPC by providing ICT equipment to digitise its services,” he said.
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On July 12, last year, UCSAF procured and handed over 250 Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) to TPC at a cost of 161.9m/-.
Another batch of 250 ICT devices, valued at the same amount, is scheduled for delivery in April 2025 to further support TPC’s digital transformation.
In another significant initiative, UCSAF has strengthened the Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation (TBC) radio network by installing 19 transmission sites.
The project, which received a 6.27bn/- subsidy, aims to improve radio coverage, particularly in rural areas.
“The goal is to enhance TBC’s signal reception nationwide, ensuring more citizens, especially those in remote locations, can access vital information and educational content,” a UCSAF official said.
Meanwhile, UCSAF has earmarked 700m/- for providing ICT equipment to ten vocational training institutions in the 2024/25 financial year.
