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The government has taken a landmark step to support bloggers, young innovators, and online content creators by significantly reducing licensing fees, in a bid to formalize digital activities and accelerate growth in Tanzania’s digital economy.
The decision follows long-standing concerns from stakeholders in the sector, who argued that high initial costs hindered creativity and entrepreneurship online.
For almost a year, the Tanzania Bloggers Network (TBN) engaged in consultations with government authorities, including the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA), highlighting challenges faced by bloggers in producing content a vital component of the country’s growing digital landscape.
TBN also conducted research on blogging activities in Tanzania, providing recommendations that the government has now adopted.
Under the new regulations announced by Deputy Minister of Information, Culture, Arts, and Sports, Hamisi Mwinjuma, licensing fees for online content creators have been reduced from TZS 500,000 to TZS 50,000.
The application fee has also been lowered to TZS 10,000, encouraging greater participation from young talents in the formal digital sector.
Similarly, licensing fees for online content aggregators have been cut from TZS 1,000,000 to TZS 100,000, with application fees now set at TZS 20,000.
The move is expected to foster healthy competition and enhance the quality of digital content produced locally.
The government has also introduced a new “Amateur” license category for emerging young content creators.
This initiative removes unnecessary barriers, enabling young people to register officially, develop their skills, and create content in line with national laws and ethical standards.
To further empower creators, the government is providing low-interest loans for the purchase of modern equipment, ensuring that content production meets international standards.
These measures are part of a broader strategy to protect intellectual property rights and combat piracy. Institutions such as COSOTA and TCRA have been directed to establish robust mechanisms to safeguard creators’ work, ensuring that the benefits of their efforts accrue directly to them.
With these reforms, Tanzania’s digital economy is poised for growth, offering young innovators and content creators a more accessible, supportive, and professional environment to thrive.