On 17th April 2023, Tanzania’s state-run telecom company TTCL signed an agreement with Chinese tech giant Huawei to extend the National ICT Broadband Backbone (NICTBB) to 23 districts in Tanzania.
The deal worth TZS 37.3 billion (USD 15.9 million) covers 1,520 kilometres of extension in 23 districts meant to connect the headquarters of the regions and districts and improving internet access across the country.
The districts that will be part of this National Communication Network expansion project include Msalala and Mbogwe, Pangani, Muheza, Kilindi, Mombo and Lushoto, Ngara, Mwanga, Hai, Karatu, Longido, Mbulu, Kibiti, Mtama, Ruangwa, Nachingwea, Newala, Mbinga, Ludewa, Viwawa and Ileje.
The project is set to be completed within six months.
The contract was signed in Dodoma by TTCL Executive Director Peter Ulanga and Huawei Tanzania Managing Director Damon Zhang under the witnessing of Tanzania’s Minister of Information, Communication and Information Technology Nape Nnauye.
Ulanga stressed that upon completion of the project, the NICTBB will help end communication challenges that the 23 districts have been facing.
For his part, Minister Nnauye said that the 23 districts that are going to be connected to the National Communication Network are going to have better and reliable communication that will help in the development and construction of our nation, promote the use of IT and speed up access to high-speed Internet.
“Economically, every increase in broadband users by 10% leads to an increase in national income by 2.5%. This investment is a great benefit for the economic growth of our country,” Nnauye explained.
The NICTBB aims to connect all of Tanzania’s regions to broadband internet and provide cross-border connectivity to Zambia, Malawi, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi.
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