A DELEGATION of 10 Malaysian technology companies is in the country to explore investment opportunities in the country’s information and communication technology (ICT) sector.

Wan Murdan wan Mohammed, the digital industry acceleration vice -president at the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) said at the Malaysia-Tanzania technology symposium in Dar es Salaam yesterday that the visit is part of Malaysia’s strategy to export its technological expertise globally.

Tanzania is one among key African countries that Malaysia is targeting for collaboration, he said, noting that Malaysian companies are particularly interested in establishing ventures in drone technology, cyber-security and the ‘internet of things’ innovation field.

“We aim to expand our market globally, and Tanzania stands out as a preferred destination due to its strategic geographical position and its rapidly growing economy,’ he said, elaborating that these factors provide the companies with an opportunity to enter the broader East African market.

Daudi Riganda, the Tanzania Investment Centre (TIC) acting director for investment promotion, described Malaysia is a Global South leader in the technology sector, and Tanzania is keen to learn from its advancements.

Tanzania is focused on attracting quality investments, particularly in green technologies to ensure sustainable development, he said, explaining that quality investments are those that incorporate green technology. 

“Tanzania is not just watching from the sidelines; we are taking steps to ensure we are part of global efforts toward sustainability,” he declared, pointing out that the Malaysian companies, while focused on ICT, are exploring how technology can be used to boost other sectors.

These include agriculture and education, he said, commending that approach as it aligns with Tanzania’s ongoing efforts to integrate technology into key areas of its economy. He further stressed the importance of green technology as it is environmentally friendly and uplifts the country’s development goals.

He ventured to assert that Malaysia, once a fairly closed market, is now opening up to global business firms, creating new avenues for collaboration with Tanzania, meanwhile as Mulembwa Munaku, the director of ICT systems and services at the Information, Communication, and Information Technology ministry, said the companies are in the country to identify potential areas for investment in the sector.

The symposium was designed to provide information to potential investors as to available opportunities and to lay the ground for capacity building of local technology firms to serve sectors like agriculture.

The government is focusing on facilitating local tech start-ups to ensure that they can thrive and compete in the local and regional market.

Start-ups will grow by connecting them with investments that can link them with needs of other sectors, where agriculture, education and environmental sustainability are the more opportune areas, he added.