TANZANIA today marks ‘Safer Internet Day’ with notable achievements in cybersecurity, including an 86 percent increase in internet subscriptions over the last five years.

Dr Jabiri Bakari, Director General of the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA), announced this yesterday while speaking on this year’s Safer Internet Day (SID), a global observance aimed at raising awareness of online safety issues and promoting a safer internet. The event is held annually in February.

This year’s SID theme, “Too Good to Be True? Protect Yourself and Others from Scams Online,” highlights the need for vigilance against scams, which have become harder to detect due to advances like artificial intelligence and deepfakes. Experts emphasize the importance of ongoing education and collaboration to ensure a safer internet.

Dr Bakari stated that Tanzania ranks first in East and Central Africa, third in Africa, and is among the top 46 countries globally for cybersecurity excellence.

SID is a global observance dedicated to raising awareness about protecting individuals from online scams and identity theft. In Tanzania, SID will be celebrated in Dodoma, where TCRA has organized various activities, including a stakeholder forum.

As part of the SID 2025 preparations, TCRA hosted a Cyber-Champions competition in Dodoma, with 697 students from 43 universities. Four winners from the University of Dodoma, the Institute of Accountancy Arusha, and Ruaha Catholic University earned internships at the Institute of Research and Innovations under the Electronic Government Agency (eGA).

The 2024 Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) highlights Tanzania’s significant progress, moving from 12th to 3rd in Africa and from 4th to 1st in East Africa between 2015 and 2024. Dr Bakari attributed this success to a combination of legal, technical, organizational, and cooperative measures. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) publishes the GCI, ranking countries based on their performance in five cybersecurity pillars.

Recent TCRA data reveals that internet subscriptions in Tanzania have surged by 86.2 percent, from 25.8 million in January 2020 to 48 million by December 2024. Between March 2021 and December 2024, subscriptions rose by 65 percent, and smartphone penetration increased from 22 percent to 36 percent.

These developments reflect the government’s commitment to expanding broadband internet access in public spaces like hospitals, schools, and transport hubs, while also promoting internet-based transactions to boost the economy.

Tanzania’s high-speed internet infrastructure is set to improve by 2028, following TCRA’s auction of spectrum in the 3600-3800 MHz bands in July 2025.

 Dr Bakari announced that successful bidders must expand services to at least six administrative regions by 2028, with a presence in all regional headquarters by 2033. This initiative aims to stimulate economic growth, particularly in the digital economy.