Dar es Salaam. A newly released State of Internet Governance 2025 Report has revealed a widening gap between Tanzania’s digital ambitions and the realities of internet governance, warning that restrictions on online freedoms could slow the country’s digital transformation agenda.
Launched yesterday the report paints what experts described as a “digital paradox”, rapid expansion of infrastructure and services alongside growing restrictions on digital freedoms.
The study assessed Tanzania’s digital governance landscape during the 2025 General Election year and found both significant progress and serious structural weaknesses.
Speaking during the launch, Tech and Media Convergency (TMC) policy Tech Lead, Robert Majige, said Tanzania had made notable strides in expanding its digital ecosystem.
“Tanzania demonstrated regional and international digital ambition,” he said, citing three international ICT awards won at the WSIS+20 Forum in Geneva and the country’s first-ever National ICT Awards launch.
He added that telecommunications towers increased to 10,029, mobile subscriptions reached 106.9 million, internet usage rose to 808 petabytes, and 5G coverage expanded to 30.1 percent of the population.
“These indicators show the country is moving forward technologically,” he said. The report also notes that Zanzibar accelerated reforms through fibre expansion, ICT centres and data centre development, reinforcing Tanzania’s broader digital ambitions.
However, the findings suggest that the digital transformation agenda faces serious setbacks, particularly in relation to internet access and online freedoms.
According to the report, 173 digital governance incidents were documented in 2025, of which 52 percent were classified as regressive, 28.3 percent progressive and 19.7 percent neutral.
These regressive incidents included arrests of social media users, online intimidation, network disruptions and restrictions on digital platforms, particularly during politically sensitive periods.
Mr Majige noted that internet restrictions were among the most concerning developments.
“The report shows that in 2025 there were situations where the internet was restricted, including the shutdown of X and internet disruptions during the general election,” he said. “These incidents have had economic, social and political consequences.”
The economic impact was substantial. The report estimates that internet disruptions and platform restrictions cost the Tanzanian economy more than $250 million (about Sh590 billion), including losses from the suspension of X and the election-period internet blackout.
The shutdown also disrupted mobile money services and remittances, which form the backbone of Tanzania’s informal economy.
Chief Executive Officer of TMC, Ms Asha Abinallah, said the report was prepared by 26 civil society organisations under the Internet Governance Tanzania Working Group to monitor digital governance trends.
“Our aim is to show the real situation. We started the first report in 2024 (launched in 2025) when we recorded 49 incidents, but in the election year of 2025 we recorded 173 incidents,” she said.
“This report highlights areas where Tanzania is doing well and areas where improvements are needed.”
The study also identified growing concerns over online gender-based violence. Data showed 3,644 negative online mentions targeting a leading female political figure, reaching an estimated 59.4 million users and generating nearly one million interactions.
Executive Director of Tamwa, Ms Rose Reuben, said the economic implications of internet shutdowns were particularly worrying. “When we say many Tanzanians depend on the internet to earn a living, including sending and receiving money, the shutdown of networks makes us ask what can be done to avoid such economic losses,” she said. The report concludes that sustainable digital transformation requires more than infrastructure expansion.
It recommends regulatory reforms that balance security with digital rights, stronger protection of online expression, judicial oversight of network restrictions and a commitment to avoid internet shutdowns.
Experts warn that unless these reforms are implemented, Tanzania risks undermining its ambition to build an inclusive digital economy under the National Development Vision 2050.
