1. Post Offices Enter Digital Age
AzamPesa, Tanzania's first independent mobile money operator, announced a strategic partnership with the Tanzania Posts Corporation (TPC) on July 17. The collaboration will transform over 300 post offices nationwide into cash-in and cash-out (CICO) points for AzamPesa users and agents. Thus, increasing access to digital financial services nationwide.
This move utilizes TPC's extensive network to solve agent acquisition challenges faced by AzamPesa as a newer provider. Users in both urban and rural areas will gain easier access to cash services, while post offices stand to benefit from increased foot traffic.
The deal builds on AzamPesa's recent innovations in Tanzania's digital payments scene. New products like the AzamPesa Pocket Money Card for schoolchildren and QR code payments for Azam Ice-Cream vendors have already begun reshaping daily transactions. Other services include peer-to-peer (P2P) transfers, bill payments, and merchant transactions at lower rates than competitors. Its latest move promises to accelerate adoption by tapping into existing, trusted physical infrastructure.
TPC, on the other hand, has been undergoing its own digital transformation. It recently launched the "Posta Kiganjani" mobile platform for virtual postal boxes. In fiscal year 2022-2023, TPC reported a 3.4% increase in income to TZS 33.7 billion and a 16% rise in profit before tax to TZS 2.8 billion. The AzamPesa partnership is an important step toward TPC’s goal of generating USD 11 billion in profit by FY 2025/2026.
Looking ahead, AzamPesa and TPC plan to facilitate digital trade. They could mirror the role post offices played in early e-commerce growth in other markets. Their phased approach shows both parties are committed to evolving with consumer needs and tech advancements.
Tanzania’s Deputy Minister for ICT, Eng. Maryprisca Mahundi, has praised the initiative for its potential economic and social impact. She sees it as a key step towards greater financial inclusion.
2. Innovation Hub Launches Tech Education Platform
Smart Lab, a subsidiary of Smart Africa Group (SAG), expanded its services by launching SmartLab Learning, a comprehensive education platform offering courses in five tech-focused areas: product management, engineering, marketing, design, and startups.
The hub’s new product can create a pipeline of talent for SAG's four other ventures and clients.
Set to begin on August 15, 2024, the courses will be available both online and in-person at Smart Lab's Mikocheni space, with fees starting at TZS 300,000.
This move can position Smart Lab in direct competition with some startups that previously participated in its accelerator program run in partnership with Vodacom. Notable competitors might include Fiqra Technologies' Fiqra Academy and Silabu, a P2P skill-learning mobile app.
SmartLab Learning aims to address skills gaps in Tanzania's tech ecosystem by providing practical, industry-aligned training. It also aligns with SAG's core strategies:
Market entry support
Innovation incubation
Digital transformation services
Venture building
Content production
Registration for Learning is now open. Courses are designed to serve various experience levels, from beginners to advanced practitioners in each field.
3. Neurotech Announces Dar’s 10th AI Meetup
Neurotech, a Tanzanian chatbots startup, scheduled its 10th generative artificial intelligence meetup for July 27, 2024. This event continues the company's series of AI-focused gatherings, which have consistently drawn significant interest from the local tech community. Previous meetups covered topics such as Swahili language models, open source AI development, and locally relevant Gen AI trends.
Neurotech hosted its 9th meetup on June 29, featuring Professor Niklas Lavesson from Blekinge Institute of Technology (BTH) as the speaker. The event was held at Stanbic Biashara Incubator from 09:00 AM EAT. Prof. Lavesson, specializing in Applied AI and Machine Learning, discussed the engineering of thinking computer systems with a focus on explainable and interactive capabilities.
Threefold's Dunia Yetu project sponsored the series' 8th meetup, which focused on making it easier to use AI models in practical, everyday situations. It attracted 99 RSVPs with additional interest expressed on social media.
Concurrently with these gatherings, Neurotech has been expanding its reach, conducting workshops on its Sarufi conversational intelligence platform in regions like Iringa.
The AI meetups have become a regular fixture in Tanzania's tech ecosystem. Every month-end weekend, they provide a platform for networking and sharing knowledge about artificial intelligence advancements. The upcoming 10th meetup is expected to continue this trend. It could further solidify Neurotech's position as a key player in Tanzania's developer community.
4. Local Experts to Mentor Aspiring Entrepreneurs
Sahara Ventures launched its Founders School program, targeting aspiring, building, and scaling entrepreneurs in Tanzania. The initiative complements their existing Startup School corporate social responsibility (CSR) program. It aims to provide comprehensive support for founders at various stages.
What you should know:
Application deadline: August 4, 2024
Application fee: TZS 500,000
Curriculum: Covers essential startup topics like idea development, customer discovery, team building, product creation, investor relations, legal aspects, personal branding, and embracing failure.
Instructors: Experienced local entrepreneurs and industry experts
Jumanne Mtambalike, Adam Mbyallu, and Musa Kamata cofounded Sahara Ventures (SV) in 2016 with a vision to become Africa's largest consulting and investment firm. As of November 2022, SV had 15 permanent employees and more than 60 consultants. The group operates through three main subsidiary companies:
Sahara Consult: A management consulting firm focused on innovation and digital entrepreneurship.
Sahara Accelerator: A corporate-sponsored and venture-backed startup accelerator.
Sahara Sparks: A conference and marketplace for innovation and technology stakeholders. It is the biggest of its kind in East and Central Africa.
Sahara Ventures has a track record of partnering with various organizations across Africa, Europe, and Asia. It has implemented numerous projects supporting entrepreneurship, technology transfer, and innovation in Tanzania and beyond. The Founders School represents their latest initiative to promote entrepreneurial growth in the region.
5. NGO to Launch Digital Skills Clubs Nationwide
The Launch Pad Tanzania has received approval from the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology (MoEST) to establish digital skills clubs in primary and secondary schools across Tanzania. This agreement aims to address the digital divide and equip students with essential technological skills.
The program will kick off simultaneously in four regions. Its curriculum covers basic computer literacy, internet skills, online safety, digital citizenship, coding, content creation, artificial intelligence (AI), and productivity software.
LP Digital will work closely with the Tanzania Institute of Education (TIE) to implement the program. Both parties will provide digital skills education to students, even those who may not complete their formal schooling. In that light, they are calling for donations of used computers to support the clubs.
MoEST's approval letter, dated February 29, 2024, acknowledges LP Digital's effort to collaborate with the government in the education sector. TIE will provide close supervision, with the Ministry conducting regular follow-ups.
The LaunchPad is now recruiting volunteers to serve as Digital Skills Club Trainers in Dodoma, Mwanza, Tanga, Njombe, and Dar es Salaam. Interested individuals with skills in at least two of the curriculum areas can apply by July 30, 2024.
This is a positive step towards fully integrating ICT into our national curriculum and preparing students for new modes of economic production.