BY the end of last year, more than 95 innovation hubs had been established nationwide, where the Information and Communications Technology Commission (ICTC) registerig over 400 early- to growth-stage ICT start-ups, of which 161 have qualified for inclusion in development and empowerment programmes.

Dr Nkundwe Mwasaga, the ICTC director general, told jourmalists in Dar es Salaam yesterday that the programme is designed to enable youth, ICT professionals and entrepreneurs to transform innovative ideas into market-ready products and services, creating jobs and contributing directly to the national economy.

With 76 percent of innovation hubs focused on ICT-driven solutions, the government has launched a programme to register, recognise and support information and communication technology (ICT) start-ups, he said.

The scheme is meant to accelerate innovation, foster entrepreneurship and expand technology-driven businesses nationwide, while empowering young people to take the lead in the country’s digital transformation, he said.

The initiative is a key part of the long term development vision 2050, which identifies digital transformation as a cornerstone of economic growth and a driver for creating high-value jobs, he said, noting that recognition and labelling of the start-ups draws on international best practices from countries such as Estonia, India, Algeria and Tunisia.

It is intended to enhance access to investment, regulatory incentives, mentorship, market exposure and capacity-building programmes, positioning Tanzanian start-ups to compete regionally and globally. he said.

“In the past five years, Tanzanian innovators have developed ICT solutions across finance, agriculture, health, education, tourism, transport and trade. Recognising their economic and social value, the government and development partners have supported innovation hubs, infrastructure and capacity-building programmes to help start-ups scale,” he explained.

Registration is free and facilitates access to finance, technical services and market opportunities, helping start-ups overcome challenges at every growth stage while accelerating the country’s transition toward a digital economy, he remarked.

A central feature of the programme is a tiered labelling system—tanzanite, gold and silver—designed to classify start-ups according to growth and market readiness. Tanzanite category covers start-ups seeking domestic and international partnerships to enter commercial markets, he stated.

Gold start-ups already serve paying customers with commercially viable products or services, while silver start-ups have completed an initial innovation stage and are conducting initial market trials, he said.

The first batch of labelled start-ups from the December 2025 registrations will be published this month, with quarterly updates thereafter, with the platform also connecting Tanzanian start-ups to investors, government procurement programmes and international trade opportunities, opening doors for scale-up and export potential, he further noted.

“This initiative is about empowering our youth, stimulating entrepreneurship and accelerating Tanzania’s transition to a digital economy. By supporting start-ups to grow sustainably, we are investing in the country’s economic future and building a new generation of tech leaders,” he stated.

Late last year, during the Tanzania Startup Week 2025, Prime Minister Dr Mwigulu Nchemba described start-ups as essential to achieving Tanzania’s Vision 2050 goal of a $1trn economy in just over two decades. 

He pledged to reduce bureaucratic hurdles in registration, licensing and regulation to foster innovation, aiming to move from a culture of control to facilitation as start-ups, instead of being raw commodities are primary drivers of future growth, particularly within fintech, agri-tech, and digital health.

The government promised to create a more predictable and competitive business environment, with a focus on improving tax, regulations and reducing bureaucratic delays.

In the Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2025, Tanzania climbed to number 116 worldwide and ranks 6th in Eastern Africa.

The most active sectors include SaaS (19.92 percent), AgriTech (19.17 percent), E-commerce (10.15 percent), HealthTech (9.21 percent), and Fintech (8.83 percent), while in  Q3 2024, Tanzanian start-ups attracted $43m in funding, the director added.

/ends /jz