The latest Communications Statistics Report published by the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) shows that Tanzanians consumed 932 petabytes of internet data in March 2026, compared with 117 petabytes recorded in March 2021.
The report, released in Dar es Salaam by TCRA Director General Engineer Peter Mwasalyanda, also indicated that internet consumption increased by 15.3 percent between December 2025 and March 2026 alone, rising from 808 petabytes during the previous quarter.
The sharp increase reflects accelerating digital adoption across East Africa’s second-largest economy, where internet access is increasingly shaping communication, entertainment, business activities and access to information.
Despite the rapid growth in consumption, Tanzania continues to utilise only a fraction of its available international internet bandwidth capacity.
According to the regulator, internet subscribers used only 16.5 percent of the country’s available international bandwidth capacity, equivalent to 2,915 gigabits per second (Gbps), leaving approximately 14,775 Gbps, or 83.5 percent, available for future expansion and investment.
“The available capacity and its utilisation will facilitate access to more international content, cloud data storage services and other digital applications. It also provides opportunities for investment in high-speed internet services,” the report stated.
The findings suggest that Tanzania still has significant room for expansion in broadband services, digital infrastructure and cloud-based technologies as demand for online connectivity continues to grow.
Internet subscriptions also more than doubled over the five-year period.
The report recorded 58.97 million internet subscriptions in March 2026, representing a 102.9 percent increase from 29.07 million subscriptions registered in March 2021.
The growth has been fuelled largely by increasing smartphone penetration, improved mobile network coverage and expanding access to affordable mobile internet services across urban and rural areas.
Social media and video streaming platforms continue to dominate online traffic in Tanzania.
According to the report, YouTube accounted for the largest share of internet data consumption in March this year at 80,319 gigabytes, followed by TikTok at 72,094 gigabytes, Facebook at 67,608 gigabytes, Instagram at 35,361 gigabytes and WhatsApp at 29,074 gigabytes.
The platforms have become central to communication, entertainment, digital marketing and news distribution among Tanzanian users.
YouTube remains widely used for video streaming, educational content and entertainment, while TikTok has seen rapid growth among younger audiences through short-form videos and digital content creation.
Facebook continues to serve as one of the country’s primary social networking platforms, while Instagram remains popular for visual communication and online commerce. WhatsApp continues to dominate messaging and group communication, supported by low-cost voice and video calling services over mobile data and Wi-Fi networks.
The report also highlighted broader expansion across Tanzania’s communications sector during the January-to-March 2026 quarter compared with the previous quarter.
In a further sign of growth in the country’s digital economy, TCRA reported a 21 percent increase in licences issued for online content services during the first quarter of 2026.
The increase reflects continued expansion in Tanzania’s digital content ecosystem, including online media platforms, streaming services, digital creators and internet-based communication businesses.
Notes to Editors
– This is more than a telecommunications story; it is a digital economy story reflecting broader technological and social transformation.
– The nearly 700% increase in data consumption is one of the strongest indicators of digital adoption in Tanzania in recent years.
– The combination of:
rising smartphone ownership,
expanding network coverage,
affordable mobile data,
and growing social media usage
is reshaping communication and commerce.
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