Tanzania’s government has set aside US$74,1 million for the National Information Communication Technology Broadband Backbone (NICTBB) this fiscal year (2021/2022) to improve security systems in various cities. The system would be managed through ICT applications and operated by the state-owned TTCL Corporation.
The above mentioned is according to Yusuph Kileo, a cybersecurity and digital forensics expert, who added that Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan launched the US$9.4-million Raddy Fibre Manufacturing plant in the Mkuranga area this month to help speed up the rollout of Tanzania’s NICTBB project.
“This plant’s optic fibre will be used to speed up the implementation of the National ICT Broadband Backbone,” said Hassan.
Given the President’s pledge to embrace ICT, Kileo believes it is past time for ICT companies to come and invest in Tanzania. “Security companies are strongly encouraged to invest in Tanzania, at a time when Tanzania is actively investing in ICT and recognising the importance of cybersecurity.”
“There are very few cybersecurity companies in Tanzania, and I would like to see more IT security companies come to invest in Tanzania to help secure the country’s huge ICT investment,” Kileo added.
“Something that had not been there since Tanzania’s independence,” he remarked, referring to the formation of the Ministry of ICT.
Tanzania’s President, according to Kileo, inked agreements on communication and ICT cooperation during a recent visit to Kigali.
Furthermore, Tanzania’s government intends to construct a state-of-the-art ICT college to catalyse economic growth and ICT.
“The government is putting the finishing touches on plans to create an ICT college that would focus on ICT research and innovation,” Hassan added.
