Dar es Salaam. The ICT Commission has announced the establishment of the country’s first-ever Artificial Intelligence (AI) forum, slated for July 28–29, 2025 in Dar es Salaam.
The announcement was made on Friday June 20, 2025 by the director general of the ICT Commission, Dr Nkundwe Mwasaga, who said the forum aims to respond to the rapid technological changes brought about by artificial intelligence and its growing impact across various economic sectors.
“All of us have witnessed the transformative power of artificial intelligence. Many countries are now exploring how to harness this technology for economic growth. Here in Tanzania, some of our institutions, such as the Judiciary, have already begun integrating AI into their systems,” Dr Mwasaga told journalists.
He explained that the Tanzania Artificial Intelligence Forum will bring together stakeholders from diverse backgrounds—creators, users, students, public servants, and private sector players—to deliberate on how best to position the country to benefit from AI advancements.
“Our ministry, through the ICT Commission, believes this is the right time to establish a national platform for AI. The forum will serve as a convening space for different stakeholders to engage in discussions and showcase innovations, especially those aligned with our national values and data governance priorities,” he said.
According to Dr Mwasaga, the theme of the forum is Building Tanzania’s Tomorrow with Ethical Artificial Intelligence and Inclusive Data Governance.
He noted that the discussions will also centre on how Tanzania can build sovereign capacity in data ownership and management.
“Young innovators will also have an opportunity to showcase their solutions. During a tech innovation competition held in March under the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), five out of the ten winning entries were from Tanzanians. This forum will provide a platform to spotlight those innovations,” Dr Mwasaga added.
In a parallel development, the ICT Commission has entered into a strategic partnership with the Tanzania Hubs Network (THN) to enhance the capacity of innovation hubs across the country in leveraging ICT tools for national development.
The agreement, signed in Dar es Salaam, marks a significant step in boosting coordination and growth of ICT use in innovation ecosystems, particularly among youth and entrepreneurs.
“This is a major milestone for the ICT Commission,” said Dr Mwasaga.
“The partnership will enable closer engagement with innovation hubs nationwide, making it easier to identify and support digital solutions that can contribute to the digital economy.”
The executive chairperson of THN, Mr Kiko Kiwanga, said the partnership opens new opportunities for collaboration between the government and innovation centres to address the barriers hindering young innovators from transforming their ideas into impactful technological ventures.
“This agreement creates a joint platform between us and the government, not only to improve the innovation landscape, but also to help young people realise their ideas and convert them into productive projects,” Mr Kiwanga said.
The agreement comes at a time when the government is intensifying efforts to promote ICT as a critical enabler of the digital economy and a driver of global competitiveness.
