President Samia Suluhu Hassan oversaw the signing of two contracts worth 275.5bn/- aimed at ensuring the availability of communication services in rural and urban underserved areas in Tanzania. The Universal Communications Service Access Fund (UCSAF) and telecom companies signed the deals in the capital city on Saturday, May 13, 2023. According to a statement released by the Director of Presidential Communications, the projects will involve the construction of 758 towers in 713 districts and boosting the capacity of 304 communication towers. The President revealed that 60.7bn/- is a loan from the World Bank, while 70.16bn/- has been generated through a levy on mobile money transactions. Speaking during the signing ceremony held at the Jakaya Kikwete Convention Center in Dodoma, the President emphasized that the projects are an important step towards the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) and the digital economy. She noted that the completion of the projects would help to increase national income by increasing the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in various sectors. The President further stated that rural people's use of networks helps them to stay informed about their activities, solve their problems, and increase production. She noted that agriculture, which involves youth in the country, is a sector that would benefit greatly from the projects. The President warned against any bureaucracy in issuing permits for the implementation of the projects, insisting that they shouldn't exceed one month.
The Minister for Information, Communication, and Information Technology, Mr. Nape Nnauye, disclosed that the project aims to construct a total of 758 towers in 26 regions of Tanzania Mainland. The event was well-attended, graced by representatives from various public institutions, including a delegation from Tanzania Standard Newspapers (TSN) Ltd led by Managing Director Tuma Abdallah.