4G

Tanzania's 4G mobile network reached 94.2% population coverage by December 2025, making it the country's most widely deployed high-speed mobile technology.

Fourth-generation mobile broadband has become the backbone of Tanzania's digital economy, supporting more than 106 million person-to-person SIM subscriptions and 76.5 million mobile money accounts.

The technology now sits alongside 3G coverage at 93.9% and 2G at 98.6%, while 5G population coverage has reached 30.1% on the back of an expanding tower footprint of 10,029 sites^[1].

4G Coverage and Network Footprint

By December 2025, 4G population coverage in Tanzania reached 94.2%, positioning the technology as the dominant high-speed mobile standard nationwide^[1].

This places 4G ahead of 3G coverage, which stood at 93.9%, and well above 5G, which covered 30.1% of the population at the same date^[1].

Only legacy 2G coverage, at 98.6%, remains broader, reflecting the historical reach of voice-grade networks^[1].

The expansion has been underpinned by continued infrastructure investment, with the number of telecom towers rising to 10,029 by the end of 2025^[1].

4G Demand Drivers: Subscribers and Devices

SIM card subscriptions for person-to-person services reached 106,823,601 by December 2025, served by five mobile operators^[1].

Smartphone penetration, the key gateway device for 4G usage, stood at 41.82%, while feature phone penetration reached 87.11%^[1].

This combination of high SIM density and rising smartphone adoption is the principal demand driver for continued 4G capacity expansion.

Mobile money subscriptions reached 76.5 million in December 2025, with the three largest providers controlling 89% of the market^[1].

Mobile money transactions reached 6,306,767,827 in 2025, up from 3,737,202,434 in 2024, an increase of 68.7%^[1].

The value of mobile payments reached TZS 177,107.5 million in the year ending 30 June 2025, up 27.1% from the previous financial year^[1].

4G in the Digital Economy Accelerator

4G expansion is embedded in Accelerator 3 of the national development agenda, which targets the build-out of digital public infrastructure and the expansion of both 4G and 5G coverage.

The accelerator also integrates ICT in governance and business and promotes digital literacy and digital entrepreneurship, with a particular focus on youth and women.

These objectives position mobile broadband as a cross-cutting enabler for industry, agriculture, financial services, and public service delivery.

4G Build-Out Plans and Rural Inclusion

Forward-looking targets include rolling out fiber-to-the-home alongside fixed wireless 4G networks, extending high-speed access beyond traditional mobile use cases.

Additional initiatives feature the deployment of low-cost mobile communication solutions in rural areas, where 4G fixed wireless is a natural fit for areas not yet served by fibre.

These rollouts complement the broader expansion of the National ICT Broadband Backbone through new fibre deployments to districts and wards, and the construction of a submarine cable across Lake Tanganyika to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

A nationwide public WiFi program is also planned to support digital inclusion and education, building on the connectivity that 4G already provides.

4G Investment Opportunities

Fixed wireless 4G networks represent a direct investment opportunity, particularly for serving households and businesses outside fibre-served urban cores.

Tower infrastructure remains an active growth area, with the national footprint already at 10,029 sites and further densification required to lift 5G beyond its current 30.1% population reach while sustaining 4G capacity^[1].

Low-cost mobile communication solutions for rural areas open a distinct segment, combining affordable handsets, 4G access, and tailored data packages.

Local manufacturing of ICT and smart devices, including computers and mobile phones, is being prioritised to help bridge the digital divide and feed demand from the 41.82% of the population already using smartphones^[1].

Adjacent opportunities include carrier-grade, cloud-neutral data center capacity, technology parks in Mbweni, Bagamoyo, and Kwala, and digital financial services that ride on top of the 4G layer, where mobile money alone processed over 6.3 billion transactions in 2025^[1].

Last Update: May 2026

References

1. https://www.bot.go.tz/Publications/Regular/Annual%20Report/en/2025122912344593.pdf (Guide reference #166)