Men lead Tanzania’s telecom race as sector posts strong growth

Data from the report show that male subscriptions rose to 50,457,144 in the September quarter, up from 47,109,356 recorded between April and June, an increase of 3,347,788 subscriptions, equivalent to 7.1 percent growth.

Meanwhile, female subscriptions increased to 47,708,505 from 44,543,087 over the same period, a rise of 3,165,418 subscriptions, also about 7.1 percent growth.

Although both genders recorded growth, men continue to outnumber women, highlighting a persistent digital gender divide in mobile access and technology use.

The report notes that Dar es Salaam retained its top position with 18.28 million active subscriptions, followed by Mwanza (6.58 million), Arusha (5.98 million), Mbeya (5.71 million), and Dodoma (5.30 million).

TCRA Director General, Dr Jabir Bakari, said the growth reflects the sector’s resilience and its critical role in advancing Tanzania’s digital economy.

“The communications sector continued to record notable growth during the quarter ending September 2025, underscoring its vital role in socio-economic development. The sector remained resilient and adaptive, reflecting increased investment, innovation, and consumer uptake across telecommunications, broadcasting, and postal and courier services,” the report stated.

Dr Bakari added that the performance demonstrates Tanzania’s progress towards a digitally empowered and inclusive society, while urging continued efforts to bridge the gender gap in technology access.

“The quarter’s results reaffirm strong momentum towards a more connected, inclusive, and digitally empowered Tanzania. TCRA remains committed to fostering an enabling environment that supports infrastructure investment, innovation, and sustainable growth in line with national development priorities and the vision of a digital economy,” he said.

Commenting on other aspects of telecommunications and internet services, the report highlighted sustained increases in subscriptions, mobile money usage, and data consumption, driven by expanding broadband infrastructure and wider adoption of smart devices.

Mobile subscriptions rose by 7.1 percent, voice traffic increased by 9.5 percent, and data usage grew by 16.6 percent compared with the previous quarter.

The rollout of 4G and continued deployment of 5G networks strengthened national connectivity and positioned the country for greater participation in the digital economy.

Internet subscriptions also increased by 4.1 percent, reaching 56.3 million, while broadband population coverage expanded to 94.2 percent for 4G and 28.9 percent for 5G.

Mobile money platforms continued to facilitate financial inclusion, while improvements in service quality reflected operators’ ongoing efforts to meet regulatory standards and customer expectations.