B2B SaaS or Fintech Infrastructure Play Riding Tanzania's 50%+ Internet Penetration Surge
Why now
Tanzania's ICT sector is emerging as a key FDI destination aligned with the government's digital transformation agenda, and internet penetration has passed 50% with mobile broadband driving adoption — creating a mass-market foundation for B2B SaaS, payments middleware, and digital trade facilitation tools. The TISEZA Act 2025 and the National Trade Policy 2023 both explicitly prioritise e-commerce infrastructure and digital technology, while bilateral trade with the US has more than tripled since 2020 driven in part by mobile-money and remittance flows, signalling maturing digital rails.
What we checked
- Scored 70 of 100 by our analysis model, which ranks this list. Not an independent rating.
- 5 source reports read and listed below.
- We have people in this market who can open doors on this deal.
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What is driving it
- Internet penetration above 50% and accelerating mobile broadband adoption creating scalable B2B and B2C digital distribution
- National Trade Policy 2023 and TISEZA Act 2025 explicitly mandating e-commerce infrastructure investment and digital-economy facilitation
- Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange market capitalisation up 18.35% year-on-year to USD 7.42 billion by March 2025, reflecting deepening capital market activity that fintech infrastructure can serve
What could go wrong
- Capital Markets and Securities Authority restrictions on cross-border securities flows limit exit routes for equity investors
- Inconsistent tax regulation and TRA non-recognition of TIC investment incentives create unpredictable cost structures for early-stage tech ventures
Full analysis
Tanzania is experiencing its strongest FDI cycle in over a decade, with inflows reaching USD 1.7 billion in 2024 (UNCTAD 2025 World Investment Report) — a 28% rise from 2023 — driven by infrastructure, services, and a sweeping reform agenda under President Samia Suluhu Hassan. The Tanzania Investment Centre registered 842 projects worth USD 7.7 billion in 2024, the highest capital value since 1991, with manufacturing and transport leading. The government's National Energy Compact targets 100% electricity access by 2030, with TANESCO actively tendering solar PV and grid-extension works. Agriculture attracted USD 1 billion across 84 projects in 2025, with agro-processing flagged as a top 2026 priority. The newly enacted TISEZA Act 2025 merged TIC and EPZA to streamline investor facilitation, though the US State Department's 2025 Investment Climate Statement flags persistent risks around tax-policy inconsistency and limited land-ownership rights for foreigners. Tanzania's multi-vector diplomacy — deepened BRI engagement, a new Russia-TISEZA cooperation deal, and active UNGA investor pitches — adds geopolitical complexity but broadens capital sourcing.
Tanzania's ICT sector is emerging as a key FDI destination aligned with the government's digital transformation agenda, and internet penetration has passed 50% with mobile broadband driving adoption — creating a mass-market foundation for B2B SaaS, payments middleware, and digital trade facilitation tools. The TISEZA Act 2025 and the National Trade Policy 2023 both explicitly prioritise e-commerce infrastructure and digital technology, while bilateral trade with the US has more than tripled since 2020 driven in part by mobile-money and remittance flows, signalling maturing digital rails.
Market drivers:
- Internet penetration above 50% and accelerating mobile broadband adoption creating scalable B2B and B2C digital distribution
- National Trade Policy 2023 and TISEZA Act 2025 explicitly mandating e-commerce infrastructure investment and digital-economy facilitation
- Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange market capitalisation up 18.35% year-on-year to USD 7.42 billion by March 2025, reflecting deepening capital market activity that fintech infrastructure can serve
Risks:
- Capital Markets and Securities Authority restrictions on cross-border securities flows limit exit routes for equity investors
- Inconsistent tax regulation and TRA non-recognition of TIC investment incentives create unpredictable cost structures for early-stage tech ventures
Sources
- uchumi360.com/top-10-insights/t/top-10-investment-opportunities-in-tanzania-2025
- repoa.or.tz/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Repositioning-Tanzania-through-Foreign-Direct-Investment-Trends-and-Strategic-Shifts_PB-15-October-2025.pdf
- www.state.gov/reports/2025-investment-climate-statements/tanzania
- www.ecofinagency.com/news/2509-49022-tanzania-targets-15-billion-in-fdi-by-2026-pitches-u-s-investors-at-un-general-assembly
- www.clydeco.com/en/insights/2024/10/tanzania-national-trade-policy
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Everything above is desk research on a market, not an offer of securities and not financial advice. Do your own due diligence before you commit capital.