Digital inclusion and strong partnerships ‘key to brighter future’

Dar es Salaam. In a bid to accelerate Tanzania’s digital economy, the Planning and Investment minister Kitila Mkumbo yesterday stressed the need to empower citizens through digital access while fostering strong partnerships with the private sector, backed by robust policies and infrastructure.

Prof Mkumbo made the remarks in Dar es Salaam during the launch of Vodacom Tanzania’s Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) report for the year ended March 31, 2025, compiled in partnership with Mwananchi Communications Limited (MCL).

He noted that although many citizens still access government services in person, the government’s long-term plan, including Vision 2050, is to deliver services digitally. “People should not be left behind in this digital world. We must empower them to participate in government processes and this is possible through digital access,” Prof Mkumbo said.

Sound policy and infrastructure, he said, remain critical.

“Policy is the government’s responsibility to enable development. We have worked with all stakeholders, including the private sector, to achieve this. At the same time, infrastructure is key. Government must ensure both physical and digital infrastructure are in place so businesses can operate efficiently.”

On artificial intelligence (AI), Prof Mkumbo stressed localisation. He argued that while Western countries are adopting robotics to address labour shortages, Tanzania’s youthful population requires jobs.

“Our AI strategy must embrace technology while ensuring people are not excluded from employment. The government is developing an AI framework suitable for our context.”

Vodacom Tanzania chief executive Philip Besiimire said ESG goals demand collective effort.

Marking Vodacom’s 25 years of connecting Tanzanians, he said inclusion remains central to the company’s mission. “Inclusion means ensuring ordinary Tanzanians can access and use our products and participate fully in the digital world,” he noted.

Mr Besiimire said that Vodacom had expanded its sustainability efforts, with more than 80 percent of its network now powered by the national grid, reducing reliance on diesel generators.

According to the company’s ESG snapshot for the year ended March 31, 2025, smartphone penetration in Tanzania rose to 43.9 percent, up from 37.2 percent in 2024.

Smart devices connected to Vodacom’s network grew to 8.7 million from 6.6 million. Environmentally, Vodacom saved 2,861 MWh of energy, nearly triple the 1,000 MWh saved the previous year.

MCL managing director Rosalynn Mndolwa-Mworia underscored the role of partnerships in realising Vision 2050.

“At MCL, our purpose is empowering the nation. As part of the Aga Khan Development Network, we see media not only as a recorder of events but also as a driver of dialogue, accountability and innovation,” she said and stressed the alignment between Vodacom’s ESG pillars—empowering people, protecting the planet and maintaining trust—and MCL’s mission and national aspirations.

“This is the real power of partnership. What no single institution can achieve alone, together we can,” she added.

Vodacom External Affairs and Vodacom Tanzania Foundation director Zuweina Farah addressed the challenges of leadership in an era of instant feedback.

“Policies and ideas can be dismissed in the time it takes to swipe left. If the public disagrees with you, you know immediately,” she said.

Ms Farah noted that keeping up with technology can be daunting, citing her own experiments with generative AI. “These dynamics make ESG reporting essential. It is not just a matter of ticking boxes. It is about grounding leadership in data, accountability and trust,” she said.

“In a time when reputations can be built or broken overnight, it is vital to show the real impact of connectivity—not only towers and cables, but how it transforms livelihoods, fosters inclusion and drives Tanzania’s long-term vision,” she said.