Smartphones, connectivity fuel digital growth-TCRA

DAR ES SALAAM: THE accessibility of smartphones and enhanced connectivity are emerging as critical drivers of the country’s digital economy, enabling wider online participation, transforming consumer habits and accelerating innovation across sectors.

According to the latest data from the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA), internet subscriptions rose by 3.2 per cent, increasing from 56.3 million in September last year to 58.1 million by December.

A licensed and regulated asset financing company, Watu Tanzania has reached one million smartphones financed through Watu Simu, which is one of the initiatives that has contributed greatly to increased internet subscriptions in the country.

Country Manager, Watu Tanzania, Rumisho Shikonyi said smartphones are no longer consumer luxuries. They are essential tools for participation in everyday economic activity.

“Reaching one million smartphones financed through Watu Simu reflects consistent execution over time and our role as a financier in enabling access to assets that support productivity, livelihoods and economic participation,” he said.

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Watu Simu is a licensed and regulated asset financing company regulated by the Bank of Tanzania, providing loans for income-generating assets, including motorcycles for boda boda riders and smartphones to enable participation in the digital economy.

He said as the company approaches five years of operations in Tanzania, this milestone reflects the scale Watu Simu has achieved over the past three years in response to growing demand for digital access.

“In a country where smartphones increasingly serve as the primary gateway to payments, services, communication and income generation, financing one million devices represents a meaningful expansion of digital participation,” he noted.