The Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar is poised to radically transform its digital landscape through a multi-million-dollar Fibre to the Home (FTTH) project targeting 600,000 households.

In a definitive leap toward a fully integrated digital economy, Zanzibar is finalizing a massive fibre-optic agreement designed to deliver unprecedented, high-speed home internet across the archipelago.

This aggressive technological push aims to democratize broadband access, ensuring that world-class connectivity ceases to be a luxury and becomes a fundamental utility for all Zanzibari citizens, irrespective of their economic standing.

The FTTH Vision and the KES 2.6 Billion Investment

Spearheaded by the Minister for Communication, Information Technology and Innovation, Mr. Mudrik Ramadhan Soraga, the Zanzibar administration is in the final stages of ratifying a landmark contract with technology firm Mixx by Yas. The ambitious Fibre to the Home (FTTH) initiative commands an initial capital injection exceeding $20 million (approximately KES 2.6 billion). The contract currently sits at the Attorney General's Office awaiting final legal clearance, marking the last bureaucratic hurdle before physical implementation commences.

Initially conceptualized to serve a modest 60,000 households, rigorous government negotiations have successfully broadened the scope of the rollout. "When implementation begins, over 100,000 homes will be connected in the first phase alone," Minister Soraga confidently stated. The overarching, long-term architectural blueprint is staggeringly ambitious: blanket fibre connectivity targeting 600,000 homes across both Unguja and Pemba islands.

Bridging the Digital Divide in the Archipelago

According to the comprehensive 2022 National Census, Zanzibar officially accounts for roughly 380,260 households. The government's expanded target of 600,000 connections clearly anticipates significant urban expansion and population growth, ensuring the infrastructure is fundamentally future-proofed. Minister Soraga has passionately framed this initiative as the bedrock of modern equity.

• Phase One Target: Immediate connection of over 100,000 households.
• Total Investment: Over $20 million (approx. KES 2.6 billion) injected by Mixx by Yas.
• Long-Term Goal: Universal broadband coverage across Unguja and Pemba.

"This is the true meaning of a digital economy. Citizens should enjoy reliable internet at home just as they do on their mobile phones," Soraga emphasized. By guaranteeing that the FTTH network penetrates all socioeconomic strata, the administration aims to eradicate the digital divide that traditionally marginalizes low-income families from participating in the global digital marketplace.

The Broader Tanzanian Digital Economy Strategy

Zanzibar's aggressive fibre rollout is intricately aligned with the broader, national Tanzanian 10-year digital economy strategy (2024–2034). The mainland has already achieved remarkable strides, boasting an internet penetration rate of approximately 86 percent, driven by over 56 million active subscriptions. However, the reliance has predominantly been on mobile cellular data.

By transitioning to fixed terrestrial fibre networks, Zanzibar is setting a new benchmark for bandwidth stability and data transfer speeds within the East African Community (EAC). Fixed broadband is universally recognized as superior for facilitating advanced digital tasks, including high-frequency financial trading, robust e-learning platforms, and complex telemedicine—sectors vital to Tanzania's holistic developmental goals.

Transforming Zanzibar's Tourism and Blue Economy

The economic ramifications for Zanzibar are profoundly lucrative. The archipelago's economy is inextricably tethered to international tourism and the burgeoning Blue Economy. High-speed, reliable internet is no longer a peripheral amenity but a core requirement for modern tourists and digital nomads. Furthermore, seamless connectivity is essential for the operational efficiency of the newly instituted digital payment systems designed to streamline revenue collection across the island's hospitality sector.

The FTTH project will seamlessly integrate the island's expansive luxury resorts, governmental institutions, and local entrepreneurial hubs into a unified, high-speed grid, radically enhancing operational efficiencies and boosting Zanzibar's attractiveness to foreign direct investment.

"Access to premier digital services is an absolute basic necessity in the modern era, and this infrastructure will definitively catapult Zanzibar into the forefront of the global digital economy," concluded Minister Soraga.