Realising the Potential of ICTs in Tanzania

This 8-page policy brief summarises a report conducted by the Institute of Finance Management as part of the Thetha Regional ICT Discussion Forum Project, coordinated by SANGONeT and funded by the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa and the Embassy of Finland in South Africa. The report and brief provide information about the achievements and weaknesses of Tanzania’s information and communication for development (ICT4D) experience, and considers the next steps that are needed to meet the information and communication needs of the coming generation. According to the policy brief, ICTs can contribute to improving development outcomes but countries, including Tanzania, face some constraints such as inadequate technical infrastructure, limited human skills to use available networks and services, relatively high cost of communications equipment, and poor policy and regulatory environments.

According to the brief published by Panos London, like other countries in sub-Saharan Africa, Tanzania has experienced a tremendous upsurge in telephone ownership and use since the advent of mobile phones. Until 2009, one of the major constraints on ICT development in Tanzania was the lack of adequate international communications infrastructure. However, in 2009 the first of three or four competing submarine cables landed on Tanzania’s coast, which will greatly increase international telecommunications (and internet) capacity and should substantially reduce the cost of telephone and internet use. The report mentions that Tanzania adopted a National ICT Policy in 2003, following a consultative process which involved both government and an influential group of ICT professionals organised as eThinkTankTZ. This National Policy established 10 focus areas for action to improve the availability and developmental use of ICTs. However, this National Policy has not been followed up with an agreed national implementation strategy.

According to the brief, four facilitating factors that have helped to provide a favourable environment for the application of ICTs in national development include the following.

• Affordability: In particular, the availability of low-cost mobile phones has helped to drive the rapid growth of phone ownership, and the availability of relatively inexpensive second-hand computers has made them affordable to many.
• Technology availability and adoption: The widespread availability and use of domestic ICTs, in particular televisions, radios, and mobile phones, has established a high basic level of information access and enables citizens to improve their quality of life through increased participation in economic and other activities.
• Supportive social infrastructure: Although illiteracy is still a problem in Tanzania, the establishment of Kiswahili as a common national language has facilitated the dissemination of information and helped to maintain social stability.
• Government support: High-level support for ICTs in development at presidential and ministerial level has played a significant part in stimulating ICT4D.

Alongside the facilitating factors, there are also four main challenges for ICT4D in Tanzania.

• Connectivity: Like many African countries, Tanzania faces poor infrastructure for communications, power, and transport. Broadband communications are not yet available in much of the country, while the lack of power supply in rural areas makes it difficult to ensure communication links.
• Content: As in other African countries, the amount of local content available on the internet is limited. Much of the Tanzanian content that is available is in English rather than Kiswahili.
• Organisation: There are weaknesses in the quality of leadership, planning, organisational momentum, and implementation of ICT projects which have been undertaken. This weakness at a project level matches the failure, at national and sectoral level, to translate policy ideas into implementation strategies.
• People: There are three main challenges for the people of Tanzania: many Tanzanians, especially in rural areas, do not have adequate skills and awareness to operate computers and other ICT equipment; government and other organisations also lack skilled personnel; and older people, including some decision-makers, find it hard to grasp the potential of ICTs to transform their areas of activity.

The report draws on these facilitators and challenges to suggest recommendations for the future falling into two main categories, exploiting existing opportunities and tackling current challenges.

Exploiting opportunities

• Develop the ICT sector: The Tanzanian government should encourage the development of local ICT hardware, software, and applications.
• Support implementation: The government should extend its political influence by establishing a more strategic approach to ICT4D, building awareness of this in the community, and establishing better organisational arrangements for implementation.
• Integrate ICTs in development initiatives: Government must take advantage of existing coordinating and regulatory structures to promote the integration of ICTs into development initiatives, for example by requiring fibre optic cables to be laid alongside new roads or water pipes.
• Promote affordability and access: Government should extend tax relief to ICTs and related services, as well as hardware.
• Exploit contextual advantages: Government should take advantage of Tanzania’s common language and educational system to promote the use of ICTs.

Tackling challenges

• Enhance connectivity: The government has responsibility for enabling adequate and reliable ICT access, including the construction of infrastructure – with particular emphasis on networks which are already widely available (television, radio and mobile phones).
• Develop content: Steps should be taken to promote the development of local content, notably content in Kiswahili and content which can be readily understood throughout the community. This will contribute to public service delivery and to the mainstreaming of ICTs in people’s lives.
• Develop leadership: ICT4D initiatives require strong, persuasive, and committed leadership. The government should stimulate this through mentoring and incentive schemes.
• Improve planning: Better planning and collaboration – within and between government departments, and between government and other stakeholders – should be built around a better understanding of ICT4D needs and priorities.
• Enhance skills: ICT4D services need to be easy to use, to encourage widespread adoption. Government should integrate ICT training in the national education system, and foster awareness of the potential benefits of ICTs amongst citizens in general.
• Cultivate innovation. Lastly, more innovative research is required to identify the needs of local communities, and develop the best ICT-related solutions for those needs.

The report adds that while it is possible to understand much of what is happening with ICTs in Tanzania, it is also clear that there are large gaps in the information which is currently available. The report concludes by calling for further research in three main areas: the use of mobile phones, and their potential value in delivering public services; documenting existing initiatives, and disseminating information about their outcomes; and the potential sustainability and replication of apparently successful initiatives.

For more information, contact:
Jim Yonazi
[email protected]