NEC To Introduce High Speed Internet In Rural Tanzania

Tanzania Telecommunications Company Limited (TTCL) and NEC (Nippon Electronic Company) will be expanding network capacity in six rural areas of Tanzania.

The project, worth USD 1.6 billion, will consist of upgrading microwave links to support the high demand for telecommunication services of local habitants, businesses and tourists.

The six key locations affected will be: Dar er Salam, Zanzibar, Shinyanga, Maswa, Mikumi, Kidatu.

Tanzania Investment Guide 2026 Free Edition

This new project will offer telecommunications services in remote locations where fiber optic technology is not an option.

NEC will be providing TTLC with high technology that will drastically improve mobile communications, high speed internet and data exchange.

LTE network will also be provided in addition to the already existing 3G Network.

Furthermore, NEC will be overseeing the system to guarantee quality of service and performance.

Nec is being providing services and technological solutions to TTCL since 1972.

TanzaniaInvest Capital Markets Report Banner

According to Nec, the Dar es Salaam link supports Fast Ethernet (FE) and Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) interfaces with packet switching capacity of 40 to 48 Gigabits per second (Gbps) for rapid mobile data transfer with smart bandwidth and capacity utilization and management.

It is estimated that 80% of the Tanzanian population leaves in rural areas and only 14% has internet, while mobile internet penetration s 60%, according to the Tanzania, Communications Regulatory Authority.

Makame Mbarawa, Minister of Communication, Science and Technology of Tanzania, said, “Our latest mobile infrastructure upgrades are a key part of the important work the Tanzanian government is undertaking to deliver our Vision 2025 programme and use the latest communication technologies as a tool for sustainable development. We’re pleased to continue our long-standing relationship with NEC to support the needs of communities and entrepreneurial businesses throughout the country.”

Eugene Le Roux, Managing Director at NEC Africa, commented, “Tanzanian citizens will see a noticeable difference in the mobile network’s capacity to handle even more web browsing and m-commerce transactions as a result of this upgrade. NEC has been providing innovative technologies to Tanzania Telecommunications Company for over forty years and we’re delighted their customers will continue to benefit from our latest high speed, future-proofed mobile backhaul solutions.”

Want to know more about Telecoms in Tanzania? Our free overview of the Tanzania Business and Investment Guide 2026 covers Telecoms, plus key sectors and investment opportunities. The complete 141-page edition includes policies, taxation, key regulations, full macroeconomic data, and sources, and is also available at no cost upon completion of a short form.

Download Free OverviewGet the Full Edition for Free
Related Posts
Tanzania Smartphone Masai
Read More

Tanzania Telecom Subscriptions Reach 117 Million in Q2 2026, 5G Coverage Climbs to 34%

Tanzania telecom subscriptions reached 117.0 million in Q2 2026, up 4.51% from 111.9 million, as 5G population coverage rose to 34.18% and internet data traffic climbed 11.65% to 1,041 petabytes. Internet subscriptions reached 62.79 million, with average download speeds of 14.26 Mbps on mobile and 31.77 Mbps on fixed broadband. Mobile money accounts grew to 87.05 million, and transactions increased by 5.38%, reaching 2.1 billion in the quarter ending June 2026.
Tanzania Huawei MOU Ceremony
Read More

Tanzania and Huawei Sign MOU to Advance Digital Economy and Innovation

Tanzania's Ministry of Communication and Information Technology and Huawei Technologies Tanzania have signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Shanghai to strengthen cooperation in the digital economy, innovation and digital transformation. The partnership covers ICT infrastructure, artificial intelligence, digital public services, local skills development, and digital device production in support of Vision 2050.