Tanzania’s internet subscriptions rose 6.48% to 62.79 million in the second quarter of 2026, while data usage grew almost twice as fast, pointing to increasing demand for digital services as internet access expands.
The number of internet subscriptions increased from 58.97 million in the quarter ended March, according to the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA). Internet usage rose 11.65% to 1,041 petabytes during the April-June period.
The faster growth in data consumption than subscriptions suggests the expansion is not being driven only by new users. Existing users are also spending more time online and consuming more data-intensive services.
That shift could strengthen demand for broadband, digital payments, online commerce, entertainment and other internet-based services, increasing the importance of data revenues for telecom operators.
Mobile broadband remained the main route to internet access, with 37.58 million subscriptions in June, compared with 24.63 million using 2G technology. Fixed internet subscriptions reached 590,185.
The increase comes as Tanzania's broader telecommunications market continues to expand. Total telecom subscriptions reached 116.95 million in June, up from 111.91 million three months earlier, taking telecom penetration to 167%.
But the figures also highlight a gap between access to networks and access to smartphones.
Smartphone penetration stood at 44.7%, while 5G population coverage reached 34.18%. This means a substantial share of the population still relies on less capable devices even as operators expand faster networks.
For telecom companies, this creates both an opportunity and a constraint. Network expansion can increase capacity, but wider use of advanced digital services will also depend on consumers' ability to afford smartphones and data services.
Mobile money provides one indication of where that demand is heading. Transactions increased 5.38% in the second quarter, with about 711 million transactions recorded in June alone.
The growth in data use also comes as operators compete for customers. Airtel had 23.97 million subscriptions in June, giving it a 20.5% market share, while Vodacom led with 33% and Yas held 28.6%.
The competitive market is likely to put pressure on operators to invest in network capacity while developing services that generate revenue beyond traditional voice and SMS.
The trend also raises a policy challenge. As more economic activity moves online, the benefits of rising connectivity will depend increasingly on affordability, digital skills, smartphone ownership and consumer protection.
TCRA recorded 7,334 fraudulent attempts in the second quarter, down 25.29% from 9,816 in the previous quarter.
The decline suggests progress in combating digital fraud, but the continued volume of attempts shows that greater digital adoption also increases the need for stronger safeguards.
The second-quarter data therefore points to a change in Tanzania's digital market: the challenge is increasingly shifting from simply getting people online to ensuring they can use faster networks, affordable devices and digital services productively and safely.
