DAR ES SALAAM: PRACTICAL digital skills training is equipping young people with marketready competencies, enabling students and entrepreneurs to secure employment, build innovative businesses and expand the country’s footprint in the digital economy.
The collaboration between the government and mobile network operators on digital infrastructure investment is accelerating practical digital skills development by improving network reach, reliability and affordability.
The latest statistics from the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) show that internet subscriptions grew by 3.2 per cent, rising from 56.3 million in September last year to 58.1 million by December.
Leveraging on expanding digital infrastructure and connectivity, Airtel Tanzania rolled out the Fursa Lab programme in the Kagera Region, targeting youth, students and entrepreneurs with practical digital skills designed to translate improved connectivity into employment, innovation and business growth, while supporting broader national digital inclusion goals.
The Airtel Fursa Lab serves as a strategic digital skills hub, offering training in coding, robotics, AI, AIoT, graphic design and digital marketing to students, graduates and young innovators.
By providing access to cuttingedge technologies and practical learning, the programme not only enhances employability but also fosters innovation and entrepreneurship, positioning participants to actively contribute to Tanzania’s growing digital economy.
Fursa Lab changes that equation responding to Kagera region’s reality. Handling the robotic kit for the first time, Gift Joseph exemplifies how access to modern digital tools through training programmes can translate abstract knowledge into hands-on skills, strengthening both innovation capacity and employability among young learners.
“Previously, technology was a distant concept, limited to what I could watch online when data allowed. Now, through hands-on training, it has become something I can actively create and experiment with, transforming learning into practical skill development,” he said.
For instance, he previously relied on YouTube to learn basic circuit building and introductory coding, highlighting how limited access to hands-on tools constrained practical skill development before structured training programmes.
By mastering coding, robotics, AI and digital design, he not only enhances her employability but also gains the tools to innovate, create solutions and pursue entrepreneurial ventures. These skills provide a foundation for lifelong learning and adaptability, ensuring she can seize opportunities in emerging industries and contribute meaningfully to Tanzania’s growing digital economy.
Furthermore, in Kagera, trainers are shifting the focus from theoretical exercises, such as pitch decks, to hands-on problemsolving that addresses real-world challenges. Participants are learning to automate irrigation sensors for small farms, design basic offlinecapable apps and market local services using only a smartphone and reliable data.
This practical approach not only builds technical proficiency but also fosters innovative thinking, enabling young people to apply digital skills directly to local economic and social needs. For example, for Fadhili Katere, learning digital skills to automate irrigation sensors was particularly impactful, demonstrating how technology can directly enhance agricultural productivity and efficiency.
“Mastering irrigation automation reveals how digital skills can transform traditional farming, enabling me to apply technology to increase efficiency and address real-world problems,” he said.
Similarly, Neema Mbugi, said by learning to use software and online tools she gained the ability to efficiently create, organise and manage office or stationeryrelated tasks.
“These competencies not only enhance my technical and organisational abilities but also provide a strong foundation for launching my own business in the stationery sector,” Ms Mbugi said.
According to the programme facilitator, Mussa Kieta, Airtel Tanzania has reported that over the past year, dozens of students in Bukoba have completed introductory courses in programming and digital design.
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While only a small fraction has transitioned to freelance graphic work or pursued advanced training in Mwanza and Dar es Salaam, these outcomes indicate the programme’s potential to catalyse skill acquisition and early career experimentation in a region with limited tech infrastructure.
Although the numbers remain modest, yet they demonstrate a measurable shift in local digital capacity and the beginnings of an emergent talent pipeline. The gender dynamics further underscore both progress and persistent structural challenges. Women constitute a significant share of participants, reflecting the impact of targeted outreach initiatives such as Airtel Future Women.
However, cultural skepticism about technology careers for daughters, along with disproportionate travel and time constraints, continue to inhibit equitable participation.
This tension highlights the need for complementary interventions that address socio-cultural and logistical barriers alongside technical training, ensuring that digital skills development translates into inclusive opportunities and sustainable workforce growth.
In a region characterised by cross-border trade and migration, digital skills serve not only as a tool for communication but also as a means of economic and social integration, enabling individuals to maintain connections, access information and participate in commercial and professional networks without the necessity of physical mobility.
Overall, the expansion of digital skills through initiatives like the Fursa Lab demonstrates how targeted training can transform local talent into tangible economic and social opportunities.
By bridging gaps between theoretical knowledge and practical application, these programmes not only enhance employability and entrepreneurial capacity but also promote more inclusive participation, particularly for women and marginalised groups.