Tanzania’s digital economy sees surge in mobile, internet, financial services

Dar es Salaam. The number of registered mobile phone lines (SIM cards) has increased by 22.9 percent, rising from 73.5 million in April 2024 to 90.4 million in April 2025.

This growth was revealed in Parliament on Friday, 16 May 2025, alongside impressive progress in internet and mobile money users.

Tabling the Sh291.533 billion budget for the Ministry of Information, Communication, and Information Technology for the 2025/26 financial year, Minister Jerry Silaa revealed that the number of internet users had grown by 32.3 percent, from 37.3 million to 49.3 million, over the same period.

He added that mobile money services, a vital part of Tanzania’s financial landscape, had also seen significant growth.

“The number of mobile money users surged by 23.9 percent, from 53.7 million to 66.5 million in one year. Additionally, the number of Communication Infrastructure Service Providers increased by 40.7 percent, from 27 to 38,” he said.

Minister Silaa also noted a rise in additional services, such as application and value-added services, which grew by 11.5 percent, from 122 providers to 136.

In line with these advancements, he highlighted the ongoing implementation of the Ten-Year Digital Economy Strategy (2024-2034), designed to promote the shift towards a digital economy underpinned by ICT.

Launched in the 2024/25 financial year, this ambitious strategy is set to transform government services and broaden ICT participation through platforms such as social media, radio, and television.

“A central element of this transformation is the expansion of communication infrastructure. Under President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan’s leadership, the government has made substantial investments in the sector,” he said.

“By April 2025, 109 out of 139 districts were connected to the National Communication Backbone, with submarine and terrestrial infrastructure developments underway,” he added.

Furthermore, Mr Silaa outlined the government’s efforts to enhance mobile communication by constructing 758 towers and starting work on 636 more.

He said 304 towers have been upgraded from 2G to 2G/3G or 4G, contributing to the expansion of the National Communication Backbone.

Regarding affordability, he noted that the cost of mobile communication has remained stable, with on-network call charges staying at Sh26 per minute since April 2025.

“The price for off-network calls has also remained unchanged at Sh28. Moreover, the cost of data within bundles has slightly reduced, improving users’ access,” he said.

Additionally, domain registrations saw a notable increase, rising by 11.3 percent from 30,090 in June 2024 to 33,494 by April 2025.

These developments underscore Tanzania’s continued progress towards becoming a more connected and digitally advanced nation.