DAR ES SALAAM: VODACOM Tanzania is stepping up its efforts to empower small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with practical and affordable digital solutions, underscoring the sector’s central role in driving economic growth and improving livelihoods.
Through various initiatives aimed at simplifying business operations and expanding access to reliable technology, the telecom firm is equipping entrepreneurs with tools that enhance productivity, strengthen customer engagement and support long-term business sustainability.
Vodacom Tanzania’s Director of Business, Mr Nguvu Kamando said the move is part of the company’s broader strategy to accelerate digital inclusion as SMEs remain a critical pillar of the national economy.
“Experience from developed economies shows that sustainable economic transformation is achieved by deliberately empowering small and medium-sized businesses, which serve as engines of development in their respective societies,” said Mr Kamando on Tuesday through an online engagement to explore practical insights and opportunities.
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SMEs are the backbone of country’s economy, comprising over 95 per cent of all businesses, contributing approximately 35 per cent of the GDP and employing over 5 million people, mostly in agriculture and services. While they drive growth and poverty reduction, these largely microenterprises face significant hurdles, including limited access to finance, high interest rates, complex regulatory environments and inadequate infrastructure.
He said that in various researches conducted by the company, it was identified that some challenges including limited access to affordable Information Technology (IT) infrastructure remains one of the major challenges facing small businesses, with many forced to incur high costs in hiring IT personnel and investing in servers and data centres.
To address the challenge, the firm introduced hosted digital services that eliminate the need for businesses to purchase expensive hardware or establish in-house data centres.
The services enable SMEs to access secure and reliable digital infrastructure at a lower cost, allowing them to focus more on growth and innovation.