Tanzania records 10pc decline in mobile money fraud

DAR ES SALAAM: TANZANIA has recorded a significant 10 per cent decline in mobile money fraud attempts between June and September this year, reflecting growing success in efforts to curb digital fraud.

The quarterly State of the Industry Report, released by the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) Director General, Dr Jabiri Bakari, last week presents an upward trajectory in most areas, except for postal and courier services.

It reported that mobile money fraud cases dropped from 13,837 in June to 12,475 in September.

The report shows that Rukwa and Morogoro regions recorded the highest number of reported cases, followed by Dar es Salaam, Mbeya and Kilimanjaro, while Kaskazini Unguja, Kusini Unguja and Kaskazini Pemba had the lowest incidences.

Among mobile operators, Vodacom recorded the highest number of fraudulent attempts with 3,971 cases (31.9 per cent), while Airtel reported the fewest at 1,559 (12.5 per cent).

Other operators included TTCL (2,219 cases), Yas (2,454 or 19.7 per cent) and Halotel (2,272 or 18.2 per cent).

Commenting on the findings, Associate Professor and Principal at the University of Dar es Salaam’s College of Information and Communication Technologies (UDSM-COICT), Professor Baraka Maiseli said the decline is a positive sign of strengthened cybersecurity systems, effective regulation and improved digital literacy among citizens.

“A 10 per cent drop is a major achievement. It shows that the systems and preventive measures put in place by TCRA and telecom operators are working. Most importantly, it restores people’s confidence in using digital platforms,” he said.

Prof Maiseli explained that fraudulent messages, fake calls and cyber scams had previously eroded trust in digital transactions, negatively affecting both individuals and businesses.

He said the new data signals a turning point for Tanzania’s digital ecosystem, showing renewed trust and resilience.

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“When users feel safe, they use digital services more frequently, whether it’s mobile money, e-commerce, or online communication. That increased activity strengthens the entire digital ecosystem,” he added.

Prof Maiseli noted that the reduction in fraud attempts is not only a security success but also an economic boost, as growing public confidence encourages more online transactions, which in turn benefits telecom companies and increases government tax revenues.

“It’s a chain reaction, when citizens trust digital systems, companies grow and the government benefits through higher revenue. This is how digital trust fuels economic transformation,” he said.

He attributed the decline to advanced fraudprevention technologies and consistent public awareness campaigns led by TCRA and its partners.

“There are two key factors here, robust systems that detect and block fraud attempts and a more informed public that knows how to respond to them. This dual approach has created a safer digital environment,” he said.

Prof Maiseli also highlighted the growing collaboration between academia and the private sector in tackling cyber threats.

“At our college, we’ve signed MOUs with major telecom companies like Vodacom to form innovation teams that develop solutions to cyber challenges. This collaboration is transforming the industry and equipping young professionals with hands-on experience,” he noted.

He urged TCRA to sustain the momentum through continued public education, stronger stakeholder collaboration and regular system upgrades to keep pace with evolving technology.

“Technology evolves every day and so do the tactics of cybercriminals. TCRA must continue updating systems, enforcing policies and raising awareness among users to stay ahead,” he emphasised.

Regionally, Tanzania is making commendable progress in building a secure, trusted and innovation-driven digital ecosystem.

For comparison, during the same period in Kenya, the Communications Authority of Kenya (CAK) reported 76,891 mobile application attack attempts between July and September 2025, a 59.3 per cent decline from the 189,004 attempts recorded between April and June 2025.