Tanzania joins global leaders in digital government
Eng. Benedict B. Ndomba, Director General of the e-Government Authority, addressing members of the press on the Government’s wide-ranging GovTech initiatives aimed at expanding and strengthening the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) across the public sector.
In the World Bank’s GovTech Maturity Index (GTMI) 2025 assessment report released in December, Tanzania is classified in Group A – Extensive GovTech Maturity, the top tier of the index.
Dar es Salaam. Tanzania has been placed in the highest category of digital government maturity, reflecting progress in moving public services online, integrating government systems and strengthening mechanisms for citizen feedback.
In the World Bank’s GovTech Maturity Index (GTMI) 2025 assessment report released in December, Tanzania is classified in Group A – Extensive GovTech Maturity, the top tier of the index.
The World Bank evaluates countries on the existence and effective implementation of key foundations for digital government, including policies, laws, guidelines, systems and execution.
The ranking builds on Tanzania’s earlier gains. In a previous GTMI cycle, the country was listed among the strongest global performers in 2022.
In a study covering 198 countries, Tanzania climbed from 90th place in 2021 to 26th in 2022, moving from Group B to Group A. Within Africa, it ranked second after Mauritius and was cited as leading East Africa.
The 2025 summary places Tanzania among a small group of African countries in the top maturity category, alongside Kenya, Egypt, Uganda and Rwanda.
Commenting on the ranking, the Director General of the e-Government Authority (e-GA), Mr Benedict Ndomba, said the classification reflects verified progress.
“This achievement is evidence that the country is on the right path in building a digital government,” he said, adding that the World Bank assessment took about a year and involved collecting evidence and records on ICT use in government across countries.
He urged public institutions to continue implementing ICT projects in line with established laws, regulations, standards and guidelines, to strengthen citizen engagement platforms and to integrate systems.
Mr Ndomba said the true test of the GTMI classification would be felt in daily life—how reliably services function online, how quickly feedback is provided and how seamlessly government systems connect to make public services simpler and more trustworthy for citizens.
Beyond rankings, the report notes that the value of digital government lies in whether systems reduce repetitive paperwork, speed up service delivery and make public institutions more responsive to citizens.
The GTMI framework assesses progress across four pillars: Core Government Systems, Online Public Service Delivery, Digital Citizen Engagement and GovTech Enablers.
Tanzania’s performance is closely linked to improvements in core systems, including the Human Capital Information Management System (HCIMS) for public service and payroll management, and the Ajira Portal for recruitment.
Interoperability is highlighted as a major achievement. The Government Enterprise Service Bus (GovESB) is cited as the backbone enabling secure data exchange across government systems.
By allowing platforms to interact, GovESB reduces duplication, improves efficiency and limits the need for citizens to submit the same information repeatedly to different offices.
