This Week in Tanzanian Tech [Mar 23-29]
We’re back with the week that was.
In this edition, we spotlight UNI-AID’s new tech education fund, Tanzania’s Creators’ Day 2025, and the Infobip Startup Tribe event.
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FIRST, WATCH THIS
After last Tuesday’s executive insights, here’s our first “One-Minute Mentor” with Exotel’s Udit Agarwal.
In just 47 seconds, he identifies a critical customer experience problem and explains the AI solution that Flashnet Tanzania implements for local companies.
Best viewed full-screen on mobile.
Tanzanian Girl Awarded Rare Engineering Scholarship Through UNI-AID
First, some context.
UNIAID Africa connects talented students with international STEM opportunities.
The company launched its Magazine of Hope on March 28 at Stanbic’s Biashara Incubator in Dar es Salaam, while celebrating Arafa Hashim Iddi’s full scholarship to study aeronautical engineering at Jain University in India.
After a year-long process, Arafa becomes the first beneficiary of UNIAID’s new initiative to sponsor 1,000 girls in STEM (science, tech, engineering and math).
The scholarship.
Arafa’s opportunity came through the first Magazine of Hope issue, which contains over $200,000 worth of international scholarship opportunities for Tanzanian students pursuing STEM fields.
HOPE also features 20 fully funded government scholarship opportunities and outlines future-focused careers based on World Economic Forum employment projections.
“This is a dream I have held close to my heart for years, and now it is becoming reality,” said Ms. Iddi during her farewell event, reflecting on her upcoming engineering studies.
Fact.
UNI-AID is actively seeking corporate and individual sponsors to fund additional printing and distribution of its educational magazine. Each copy costs Sh15,000 to print and distribute to one secondary school.
Companies and development partners can contact impact@uniaidafrica.org to sponsor school distributions or fund individual scholarships.
What’s ahead?
UNIAID Africa aims to print and distribute 10 copies of the Magazine of Hope to each secondary school across Tanzania by June 2025.
The organization will launch a digital platform in August to track scholarship applications and outcomes, while expanding corporate partnerships through their “One Company, One Girl” approach to secure funding for 50 additional STEM scholarships by December 2025.
Rifaly Hosts 2nd Creators Day on Digital Content Monetization
First, some context.
Smart Foundry operates Rifaly, a digital content aggregation platform featuring newspapers, magazines, podcasts and books. Beyond royalties, it offers creators $10 for every 10 pieces of content uploaded.
The company hosted its second Creators Day event on March 27, bringing together content creators, financial experts, and regulatory officials.
This half-day event focused specifically on equipping digital creators with practical strategies for building sustainable businesses.
The event.
Mika Chavala from Swahili Nation shared pricing and negotiation tactics for creators approaching brands. TCRA representative Brian Kalinga discussed regulatory requirements for digital content while outlining the increased quotas for local content on Tanzanian television and radio.
Fact.
“Creators must learn how to earn, manage, save, and invest money," said financial educator Kelvin Kibenje during a panel discussion. “Relying on a single revenue source is particularly risky in our market.”
What’s ahead?
Events like Creators Day indicate growing recognition of content creation as a viable business in Tanzania.
As platforms and regulators continue developing frameworks for the digital economy, creators will need to focus on both content quality and business skills to capitalize on emerging opportunities in brand partnerships and cross-platform distribution.
Tech Ecosystem Gathers at Infobip’s Dar Meetup
First, some context.
Infobip operates as a global cloud communications platform connecting businesses with customers through multiple channels, including messaging, voice, and email.
The company recently hosted its Connect Meetup at Stanbic’s Dar incubator, bringing together investors, founders, developers, and tech enthusiasts.
The event.
It introduced developers to Infobip’s communication tools.
A fireside chat on “Leveraging Tech for Startups Growth” featured Nelson Swai, CIO at Stanbic Bank Tanzania; Andrew Egan, Africa Sales Director at Infobip; and Reuben Mwatosya, COO at Tembo and Vice Chairman of the Tanzania Fintech Association (TAFINA).
The event also included a panel discussion on incubators, accelerators, and credit programs available to Tanzanian startups.
“Our startup ecosystem needs this kind of peer support,” said Kai Mollel, Head of Biashara Incubator at Stanbic Bank Tanzania, highlighting the importance of experienced founders participating in community events.
Fact.
Rich Communication Services (RCS) messaging traffic in East Africa is projected to grow from 1.5 trillion messages in 2024 to over 6 trillion by 2029, generating $4.2 billion in revenue across markets including Tanzania, according to research commissioned by Infobip.
What's ahead?
Infobip plans to continue hosting Connect Meetups in Tanzania as part of their broader East African community engagement. Its Startup Tribe program offers communication tools to qualifying startups without taking equity.