Get prepared for digital economy, public told
DAR ES SALAAM: THE government, through the Tanzania National Business Council (TNBC) ICT Working Group, has urged Tanzanians to prepare for the rollout of a digital economy plan designed to align with global economic transformation demands.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information, Communication and Technology and Chairman of the TNBC Working Group, Mr Mohamed Abdulla emphasised that embracing digital technology could significantly drive economic growth and stimulate rapid expansion across various sectors, including agriculture, commerce and tourism.
Speaking in Dar es Salaam over the weekend, following the Group’s meeting, Mr Abdulla stressed the importance of leveraging the internet to simplify service access and accelerate economic progress.
“During our meeting, we discussed the implementation steps of the digital economy plan through collaboration between the public and private sectors,” Mr Abdulla noted.
He said that the sixthphase government, under President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan, is committed to advancing the digital economy.
He further explained that the meeting focused on recommendations for implementing, monitoring and evaluating the digital economy plan, allowing stakeholders to prepare for its execution.
“The sixth-phase government is determined to position Tanzania as a leading digital economy and enhance our global competitiveness,” said Mr Abdulla, urging all Tanzanians to embrace the digital economy.
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President Hassan has already launched the Digital Economy Framework and Tanzanians, both in rural and urban areas, need to prepare for its implementation.
“We are witnessing progress in accessing services digitally from home. Our goal is to achieve similar advancements in other services to simplify daily life,” Mr Abdulla added.
Co-Chairperson of the Group from the private sector, Ms Jackline Uiso, emphasised the importance of digital transformation in the communication sector, noting that it could drive growth across industries as part of the plan’s strategy.
She highlighted that the ten-year strategy includes sector-specific guidelines to prepare for economic changes, with a focus on integrating sectors such as agriculture, health, media, construction and education into the digital economy.
“Many countries worldwide are prioritising the digital economy, making significant advancements through technology to enhance service delivery and accessibility,” Ms Uiso said.
TNBC’s Executive Secretary, Dr Godwill Wanga said that the meeting involved various stakeholders who approved the recommendations for moving forward.
Experts from the group will visit each sector to ensure widespread understanding, provide education and encourage implementation.
A working group member and Director General of the ICT Commission, Dr Nkundwe Mwasaga explained that the strategic plan focuses on actionable steps to achieve its goals.
“One key aspect is educating citizens and ensuring online payments for various services to meet our objectives,” Dr Mwasaga stated.
The plan also aims to ensure that all economic sectors are digitised, systems work together seamlessly and every Tanzanian has a digital ID to facilitate access to services.
Additionally, it includes implementing a “Community Payment” system to simplify transactions.
Professor Wangwe, another working group member, highlighted the need to assess strategic areas for their contributions to economic growth, job creation and system integration to facilitate business transactions and access to services and goods.
