Tanzania Registered Over One Million New SIMs In Q1-2015

tanzania-mobile-phone-subscribers-growth-2015

The Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) has recently released the last Telecommunication Sector’s report indicating that the country has recorded a total of 1,166 million new subscribers identification module (SIM) in the first quarter of 2015.

It has raised the total number of SIM cards to 33,180,333 at the end of March 2015, a growth of 3.64% from the total recorded as of December 2014.

Among the current six operators in the country, Millicom International Cellular S.A. (MIC) which operates in the country under the brand Tigo, registered the quickest growth at a rate of 7.42% reaching the 9,264,515 voice subscribers during the period.

Tanzania Investment Guide 2026 Free Edition

This growth expanded Tigo’s market share in the country to 28% up from 27% as of December 2014, placing the company as the third largest in terms of subscribers in the telecommunication sector.

On the other hand, Bharti Airtel Limited (Airtel) was the company with the slowest growth in the first quarter 2015 at a rate of 1.59% adding merely 152,228 subscribers but still keeping its place as the second largest in the industry with a total of 9,704,205 subscribers.

According to Reuters, Vodafone has kept its position as the largest mobile operator in Tanzania while Zantel remains as the smallest one in a sector with a potential growth of 35% to over 45 million subscribers within the next years.

Tanzania currently has a mobile penetration level of 67% which is below the Sub Saharan region’s average of 71.1% according to the World Bank.

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.

Download Free OverviewGet the Full Guide
Related Posts
Group photo at the Africa Innovation and Technology Forum 2026
Read More

Tanzania’s Tech & Media Convergence (TMC) Hosts Africa Innovation and Technology Forum (AITF) 2026; Launches the Political Economy of Digital Governance Report

On 16th-17th June 2026, Tanzania’s Tech & Media Convergence (TMC) hosted the Africa Innovation and Technology Forum (AITF) 2026 in Dar es Salaam, bringing together stakeholders to discuss Tanzania's digital future and to launch the political economy of digital governance in Tanzania report. Discussions focused on data sovereignty, AI, cybersecurity, digital governance, and the policy reforms needed to build a trillion-dollar digital economy.
Tanzania Smartphone Masai
Read More

Tanzania Telecom Subscriptions Reach 111.9 Million in Q1 2026, 5G Coverage Climbs to 33%

Tanzania telecom subscriptions expanded across mobile, internet, and mobile money in the latest TCRA report, with 5G population coverage rising to 32.83% and internet data traffic surging 15.3% to 932 petabytes. Mobile money accounts climbed to 80.98 million, internet subscriptions reached 58.9 million, and smartphone penetration increased to 42.5%, signalling sustained demand for broadband and digital financial services.
Tanzania Angellah Kairuki Telecoms Ministry budget
Read More

Tanzania Allocates USD 89M ICT Budget for 2026/27 Targeting Rural Towers, DRC Fibre Link, and 5G Expansion

Tanzania's Ministry of Communications and Information Technology has tabled a TZS 222.6 billion (USD 89 million) budget for 2026/27, with 94.1% allocated to development projects including rural towers, National ICT Broadband Backbone expansion to DRC, and National Data Centres. The Ministry will disburse TZS 5 billion to at least 50 ICT startups via NMB Bank starting May 2026, while targeting 55% smartphone penetration by 2027 across a sector that grew 14.3% in 2024.