Summary
· Tanzania is one of just four African countries included in a group of 69 nations described as global leaders in public sector digital transformation
Dar es Salaam. Tanzania is one of just four African countries included in
a group of 69 nations designated as global leaders in public sector digital
transformation, a decision that has been highly received by observers.
According to the World Bank’s 2022
GovernmentTech Maturity Index (GTMI) Report, other African countries on the
list include Cabo Verde, Egypt and Uganda.
Along with the other 68 out of 198
economies analysed, Tanzania is placed in group A, which is classified as
leaders, who have been using advanced or innovative digital solutions and
demonstrating good practices in all four GovTech focus areas.
The focus areas are the Core
Government Systems Index, Public Service Delivery Index, Digital Citizen
Engagement Index and GovernmentTech Enablers Index.
Other 46 economies found themselves
in group B (23 percent) to imply that they have made significant investments in
various GovTech focus areas but have room for improvement.
Some 53 governments were placed in
group C (27 percent), suggesting that they have ongoing projects to improve
maturity but fall behind the current GovTech frontier.
On the other hand, 30 governments
were positioned in Group D (15 percent), indicating that they have placed
minimal or no emphasis on the GovTech agenda.
Sahara Ventures Chief Executive
Officer (CEO) Jumanne Mtambalike attributed Tanzania’s new development to the
quality of public services offered through digital platforms. “We have a very
active e-Government Agency that has established several systems within
different public offices that increase efficiency, confidentiality and
integrity,” said Mr Mtambalike.
The government also has an e-office
system (GeOS) that facilitates day-to-day government administrative processes
involving the movement of files and documents.
Icing the cake, the World Bank
commended Tanzania for having an online service portal that brings services
closer to the public by allowing citizens to apply for passports, permits, and
licences and to make payments online.
Tanzania, explained Mr Mtambalike,
is one of the most advanced countries in Africa when it comes to government
adoption of digital tools as solutions to offer public services.
“This shows that the government has
created enough services at the service layer for people to be able to access
different public services offered by the government,” he concluded.
Tunzaa Fintech founder and CEO
Ng’winula Kingamkono said one significant development made in Tanzania is the
ability of Tanzanians to pay their government bills using mobile phones or bank
accounts with control numbers.
This innovation, he said, has made
it easier and more convenient for people to pay their bills without the need
for internet connectivity.
The advancement, Mr Kingamkono
added, has also increased financial inclusion in the country, enabling more
people to access financial services, which was once a challenge in Tanzania.
“It has also improved accountability
and transparency in the payment of government bills by reducing the likelihood
of fraud and mismanagement of funds,” he told this paper.
However, he recommended that
infrastructure and support be put in place to bridge the digital gap and ensure
that all citizens can benefit from technological advancements.
“While the developments are
impressive, it is crucial to ensure that they are accessible to everyone, as
the digital divide is still present in Tanzania,” suggested Mr Kingamkono.
Mipango App co-founder Lilian Rabi commended efforts made by the previous and
current governments to drive the adoption of digital systems in the provision
and facilitation of public services.
“For Tanzania to be in Group A of
the GTMI, which is generally dominated by high- and upper-middle-income
economies, speaks volumes,” she told The Citizen through a WhatsApp chart.
Going by the report, high- and
upper-middle income economies dominated the group of GovTech Leaders (Group A),
whereas only 16 percent of both lower-middle and low-income economies were
represented in Group A.
From the Government Electronic
Payment Gateway (GePG), institution payments to digital identification (ID),
Tanzania, which is in a lower middle-income status, clearly made strides
regardless of its economic status and education status, said Ms Rabi.
She said the smooth adoption of
various public service innovations by the general public is also something to
applaud.
However, Ms Rabi recommended more
efforts to drive digital penetration, which still sits at 25 percent, by making
digital devices more affordable and internet services cheaper.
“Private-public partnerships should
be considered to ease the infrastructure creation burden on the private sector,
which ultimately affects affordability,” she recommended.
The permanent secretary of the
ministry for Information, Communication and Information Technology, Mr Mohammed
Abdulla, said the government is keen to ensure the availability and
accessibility of reliable and affordable digital services countrywide.
He told The Citizen yesterday that
this is as stipulated in the National Information and Communication
Technologies (ICT) Policy, 2016.
He added that the government is
taking measures to address prevailing challenges to realise this aspiration.
Some of the obstacles that the government is working on include the absence of
broadband infrastructure in some areas of the country as well as the need to
lower the cost of digital devices and internet services.
“The measures taken to address the
challenges include setting up an enabling business environment to spur
investment in digital device manufacturing and assembly plants,” noted Mr
Abdulla.
Other actions include; encouraging
the private sector to institute device financing models such as payment
installment plans, subsidies, loans, leases and rentals.
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