GOVERNMENT URGED TO RECOGNIZE COMMUNITY NETWORKS TO BOOST DIGITAL INCLUSION

 

By Rose Ngunangwa

The government has been urged to legally recognize Community Networks within Tanzania’s ICT policy and regulatory framework to expand internet connectivity in underserved areas and promote sustainable development.

This recognition should be accompanied by a dedicated legal and policy framework that formally acknowledges community networks as non-commercial, community-led digital infrastructure providers capable of complementing commercial telecommunications services in rural and marginalized communities.

The call was among the key recommendations presented in Dar es Salaam on August 4, 2026, during the Digital Policy Engagement Forum organized by Paradigm Initiative in collaboration with Community Networks in Tanzania under the theme “Fostering an Enabling Environment for Community Networks in Tanzania.”

Other recommendations included the introduction of an affordable licensing framework tailored for community networks, strengthening digital literacy and local technical capacity, and responsibly leveraging emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence.

 These technologies, the forum emphasized, should be applied in education, public services, entrepreneurship, and community development to accelerate inclusive digital transformation.

Speaking at the session, Dr. Jabhera Matogoro, a lecturer at the University of Dodoma, highlighted

community-centered networks as a vital platform for sustainable internet access in rural areas. “Community-centered connectivity, a bottom-up approach, is key to creating digital access where local communities build, operate, or significantly shape their own

communication networks. This model addresses availability, affordability, and adoption gaps left by traditional commercial providers,” he said.

Paradigm Initiative Senior Program Officer Ihueze Nwobilor added that community networks are essential tools for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). “Through internet connectivity, people can generate income, improve the quality of education, and promote gender equality, as many solutions in Africa are powered by women. Community networks will provide services to underserved communities and give women a stronger voice in shaping society,”he noted.

According to the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) 2025 Global Internet Use report, an estimated six billion people worldwide were using the internet, up from 5.8 billion in 2024. Despite this progress, 2.2 billion people remain offline. The report also highlights a stark divide between urban and rural areas: while urban connectivity stands at 85 percent, rural connectivity lags behind at 58 percent.

The forum brought together regulatory authorities, digital stakeholders, legal experts, community network representatives, and members of the press to deliberate on these pressing issues.