In this episode of the TechAfrica News Podcast, host, Chief Editor and Founder, Akim Benamara speaks with Philip Besiimire, CEO of Vodacom Tanzania, about the company’s 25-year journey, digital transformation, financial inclusion, technology innovation, and future opportunities in AI, cloud, fiber, and 5G. About Our Guest: Philip Besiimire is Managing Director of Vodacom Tanzania and a member of its Executive Committee. He joined Vodacom in 2022 after holding senior leadership roles at MTN across Africa. With over 15 years of experience in leadership, commercial execution, and mobile financial services, he brings deep expertise in driving growth and innovation in telecom. A Twenty-Five Year Journey of Growth and Purpose Vodacom Tanzania has grown from near-zero connectivity to 22 million users. Besiimire highlights the company’s purpose-driven initiatives, such as M-Mama, a maternal health emergency system, demonstrating technology’s role in addressing societal challenges. Financial Inclusion and M-Pesa M-Pesa has expanded financial access from under 26% to over 76% in five years, serving over 10 million active users. Vodacom now offers credit, micro-loans, and business tools, empowering individuals and SMEs and reducing reliance on informal lenders. Policy, Regulation, and Digital Skills Empowerment Besiimire emphasizes balanced taxation and enabling policies to support Tanzania’s Vision 2050. Vodacom also drives digital education programs, including Code Like a Girl and mobile computer labs, equipping youth with skills for STEM and ICT careers. So I think, for me, it's about harmonization of those policies, harmonization of regulatory demands, and trying to make sure that we find the right balance between the objective to collect revenue to obviously provide services to the citizenry, but also allow the sector and industry to grow in such a way that we all lead up to the 2050 vision that has been articulated.” - Philip Besiimire, Chief Executive Officer, Vodacom Tanzania AI, Technology Diversification, and Sectoral Impact AI enhances Vodacom’s customer experience, network monitoring, and enterprise services, while ethical standards safeguard data. Vodacom also expands into IoT, HealthTech, AgriTech, utilities, mining, and smart cities, delivering national-level impact. Network Modernization, 5G, and the Future of Tanzania’s Digital Landscape Vodacom is investing $100M in 4G/5G upgrades, fiber expansion, and satellite integration. Looking ahead, Besiimire identified three priorities for Tanzania’s digital future: policy certainty to unlock long-term investment, lower device costs to accelerate smartphone penetration, and sustained investment in digital skills, particularly AI and ICT. Thank you for listening The TechAfrica News Podcast in Partnership with Smart Africa! For more insights, subscribe to our podcast and visit: www.techafricanews.com/podcast If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and share it with your network. © 2025 TechAfrica News & The TechAfrica News Podcast. All rights reserved.
