Tanzania’s data governance progress offers model for East African states

The Second Technical Working Group on Data Protection and Cybersecurity, held earlier this month in Arusha, highlighted the urgency.

Partner states agreed that a regional instrument, grounded in lawfulness, transparency, fairness, and confidentiality, is essential to protect rights and provide certainty for companies.

“This accelerates East Africa’s journey towards a secure, integrated digital market,” said Kenya’s Ministry of ICT Cybersecurity Director, Mr Gisiora Dickson Ochoki.

“Citizens must trust that their personal information will not be misused when it crosses borders,” he stressed.

Tanzania’s head start

Tanzania is not entering this discussion empty-handed. Over the past two years, it has positioned itself as a regional leader in digital governance.

The 2024 establishment of the Personal Data Protection Commission created a dedicated body to oversee privacy, monitor compliance, enforce penalties, and ensure both public and private entities respect citizens’ rights.

The government is finalising a National Data Governance Framework, expected in January 2026, which will establish standards for collecting, storing, sharing, and disposing of data.

“As a country, we cannot operate in isolation digitally. Data moves across borders. We need principles to safeguard it, share it, and ensure it benefits citizens,” the Director of ICT Systems Development at the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, Mr Mohamed Mashaka, told The Citizen, in a recent interview.

He added: “Data is a national asset that can drive innovation and economic growth if managed properly.”

Supporting this are robust infrastructures: the National ICT Broadband Backbone links most districts, and connects to regional and global networks, while six internet exchange points and local data centres ensure information circulates domestically.

Broadband penetration exceeds 90 percent in urban areas, with rural coverage expanding through hundreds of towers.

Why regional cooperation matters

Experts note that data protection cannot stop at national borders. Financial transactions, e-commerce, academic exchanges, and healthcare information routinely cross countries.

“Cross-border data flows are the bloodstream of the digital economy. Weakness in one country exposes the whole system. A unified framework ensures consistency and shared responsibility,” said Dar es Salaam–based cybersecurity researcher, Dr Merilyne Sanga.

The EAC is exploring standard contractual clauses, binding corporate rules, regional codes of conduct, and a “Single Data Territory” to treat data flows seamlessly across the bloc.

Digital transformation is expanding rapidly: mobile money transactions topped $300 billion in 2024, e-commerce is growing, and governments are digitising services from tax filing to land registration.

But cybercrime costs Africa over $4 billion annually, with East Africa’s share rising.

“Tighter laws, regional coordination, and capacity building are essential,” argued digital rights advocate, Ms Halima Mwenda.

A regional win

Mr Mashaka stressed that harmonisation only works if all countries commit.

“Laws on paper are not enough; we need enforcement, infrastructure, and awareness,” he said.

Chief Data Officer at a leading mobile money provider, Mr Charles Mbaga, added: “A transparent regional system attracts investment, fosters innovation, and helps start-ups scale responsibly.”

The EAC’s roadmap is clear: a harmonised legal framework that protects people, builds trust, and unlocks the Single Digital Market’s potential.

Tanzania’s progress, through its commission, framework, infrastructure, and policy vision, offers a model for the region.