Tanzania - The Tanzania Stack | DPI Exemplar Stories

This video provides an overview of Tanzania’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), referred to as the “Tanzania Stack”. Presented by key figures from the Tanzanian government’s technology sector, it explains the structure, core components, and underlying philosophy of their DPI implementation. The information is valuable for understanding a real-world, community-focused approach to building foundational digital systems for service delivery and economic growth. Viewers gain insights into the specific components like digital ID, payments, and data exchange, the challenges faced, and lessons learned.

Synthesized Summary

Tanzania has developed a comprehensive DPI stack structured in three layers: the bottom Enabling Layer (addressing connectivity, power, regulatory frameworks), the middle DPI Layer (the core engine), and the top E-Service Layer (hosting government and private sector applications). The DPI layer itself consists of three key components branded under the name “Jamii,” which means “community” in Swahili, signifying the government’s focus on delivering services to citizens. These components are Jamii Namba (a unique digital identity for all Tanzanians, currently covering over 25 million adults), Jamii Malipo (a digital payment system including the Government Electronic Payment Gateway and the Tanzania Instant Payment System - TIPS), and Jamii Data Shirikishi (a data exchange platform powered by a data consent mechanism and adhering to the ‘once-only’ principle).

The implementation journey, starting over 15 years ago with foundational elements like birth registration and evolving significantly since 2010 with the National Identification Authority (NIDA), faced challenges including infrastructure limitations, securing political will, managing government changes, and ensuring citizen understanding and adoption. Key champions for DPI implementation include the President (providing political will), the citizens (through their readiness to adopt services), the private sector (crucial for collaboration and innovation), and government institutions working towards interoperability. Tanzania emphasizes a holistic view, considering the larger African ecosystem and aiming to support regional digital transformation.

Key Learnings & Recommendations

• Three-Layered Structure: The Tanzania Stack comprises an Enabling Layer (infrastructure, regulation), a core DPI Layer (ID, payments, data exchange), and an E-Service Layer (applications). [01:45]
• Core DPI Components (“Jamii”):
  • Jamii Namba: Foundational Digital ID/Social Number for unique identification. [02:35]
  • Jamii Malipo: Digital Payment System facilitating financial inclusion and government revenue collection, incorporating TIPS. [02:43], [12:54], [15:04]
  • Jamii Data Shirikishi: Data Exchange Layer enabling secure data sharing based on citizen consent and the ‘once-only’ principle. [02:51], [07:04], [08:34]
• Community Focus (“Jamii”): The branding emphasizes the goal of delivering services directly to the community and individual citizens. [00:28], [03:55]
• Digital ID Coverage: Over 25 million citizens (above 18) possess the Jamii Namba digital ID, with ongoing efforts to register children. [11:14], [11:57]
• Data Protection & Consent: The Jamii Data Exchange is built with data security and a citizen consent mechanism, allowing individuals control over their data usage. [07:04], [17:24]
• Interoperability: A key goal is ensuring systems (public and private) are interoperable, facilitated by the data exchange platform and frameworks like the Tanzania Interoperability and Standardization Framework. [09:07], [09:53], [26:18]
• Importance of Enabling Environment: Success requires addressing connectivity (aiming for 85% coverage), power, regulatory frameworks (e.g., Personal Data Protection Act), and technical standards. [02:15], [10:08], [30:13]
• Political Will is Crucial: Strong backing from leadership (like the President) is essential for driving DPI implementation across government. [25:54], [29:06]
• Stakeholder Collaboration: Engaging citizens, the private sector (banks, MNOs, fintechs), and government institutions is vital for adoption and success. [25:01], [26:24], [26:56]
• Monitoring & Evaluation: Implementing an M&E framework is important to track progress and measure the impact of DPI initiatives. [30:24]

Key Visual Information

• Three Layers of the Stack: Visual diagrams illustrate the Bottom (Enabling), Middle (DPI), and Top (E-Service) layers. [01:55], [01:58], [02:03]
• DPI Layer Components: Visuals define and explain Jamii Namba (Digital ID), Jamii Malipo (Digital Payment System), and Jamii Data Shirikishi (Digital Data Exchange). [02:35], [02:44], [02:51]
• Jamii Definition: A slide explicitly defines “Jamii” as “Community,” highlighting the citizen-centric approach. [03:56]
• Enabling Layer Components: Text overlay lists Connectivity, Power, and Regulatory Frameworks as key elements of the bottom layer. [02:16]
• Frameworks: Visual lists key supporting frameworks: Digital Public Infrastructure Blueprint, Digital Enterprise Architecture Framework, Tanzania Interoperability and Standardization Framework, Guidelines for Safe Usage of ICT. [09:47]
• Statistics: Key figures are displayed visually, such as 85% connectivity target [10:24], 25 million digital IDs issued [11:16], 1350+ daily transactions via TIPS [15:10], and 300+ integrated public/private systems [19:13].
• Data Consent/Security: Text overlays emphasize the data consent mechanism and security aspects built into the Jamii Data Exchange. [07:06], [17:24], [18:35]
• Champions: Visuals highlight key champions: The President, Citizens, Private Sector, and Government Institutions. [25:57], [27:01], [27:23], [28:28]

Key Questions Addressed or Raised

• Can you give us an overview of the Tanzania Digital Stack? [01:29]
• What is the significance of the word ‘Jamii’? [03:28]
• Could you share with us how the top layer incorporates the private sector? [04:48]
• Tell us about the adoption of the different elements in the Digital Stack? [09:03]
• What were the challenges faced while developing the Tanzania Stack? [21:47]
• What is the role of champions such as yourself in this DPI implementation journey? [25:39]
• What is your advice for other countries who are looking to implement DPI systems? [28:46]

Stated or Implied Applications

• Government Service Delivery: Providing public services (like passport applications) more efficiently to citizens. [00:32], [20:17]
• Financial Inclusion: Enabling digital payments for citizens, including government payments (taxes, bills) and integrating informal sectors. [06:10], [12:54], [13:18]
• Economic Growth: Boosting economic activities by streamlining transactions and enabling interaction between public and private sectors. [19:25], [25:27]
• Personalized Government: Moving towards a vision where services are tailored to individual citizens based on securely managed data. [07:41]
• Data Management: Implementing the ‘once-only’ principle to reduce redundant data collection across different services. [08:34]
• Cross-border Interaction: Building platforms (like Jamii Data Exchange) capable of interacting with similar systems globally. [04:14], [18:00]

Key Terminology Defined

• DPI (Digital Public Infrastructure): The foundational digital systems enabling service delivery. [02:00]
• Jamii: Swahili word for “Community,” used to brand Tanzania’s core DPI components. [00:28], [03:55]
• Jamii Namba: Tanzania’s unique Digital Identity number (foundational ID). [02:35]
• Jamii Malipo: Tanzania’s Digital Payment System. [02:43]
• Jamii Data Shirikishi: Tanzania’s Digital Data Exchange component/platform. [02:51]
• TIPS (Tanzania Instant Payment System): A component of Jamii Malipo enabling instant payments. [15:04]
• Once-Only Principle: Citizens provide their information only once, and it’s reused across different services with their consent. [08:34]
• Enabling Layer: The foundational infrastructure layer including connectivity, power, and regulatory frameworks. [01:55]
• E-Service Layer: The top layer where government and private sector applications reside. [02:03]
• Personal Government: A vision for delivering personalized government services enabled by DPI. [07:44]
• Data Consent Mechanism: A system empowering citizens to control how their personal data is shared and used. [07:04]

Timestamped Outline / Chapters

• [00:00] - Introduction & Branding (Co-Develop, DPI Exemplar Stories)
• [00:07] - Overview of Jamii Components (ID, Payment, Data Sharing)
• [00:46] - Speaker Introduction: Mohamed Mashaka (Ministry of ICT)
• [01:14] - Speaker Introduction: Dr. Nkundwe Moses Mwasaga (ICT Commission)
• [01:29] - Q: Overview of the Tanzania Digital Stack?
• [01:45] - Explanation of the Three Layers (Enabling, DPI, E-Service)
• [02:32] - Explanation of DPI Layer Components (Jamii Namba, Malipo, Data Shirikishi)
• [03:28] - Q: What is the significance of the word ‘Jamii’?
• [03:34] - Explanation of “Jamii” (Community) and Citizen Focus
• [04:48] - Q: How does the top layer incorporate the private sector?
• [04:54] - Explanation of Public and Private Sector Applications on Top Layer
• [09:03] - Q: Tell us about the adoption of the different elements?
• [09:09] - Discussion on Enabling Layer Frameworks (Connectivity, Policies, Standards)
• [11:11] - Milestones: Digital ID (Jamii Namba) - 25 Million+ Registered
• [12:51] - Milestones: Digital Payments (Jamii Malipo) - Financial Inclusion, TIPS
• [16:52] - Milestones: Data Exchange (Jamii Data Shirikishi) - Jamii Portal, Timestamps
• [19:45] - Benefits to Citizens (Payments, Service Access e.g., Passports)
• [21:47] - Q: What were the challenges faced?
• [21:54] - Challenges: Infrastructure, Political Will, Citizen Understanding, Data Verification (Biometrics, Citizenship)
• [25:39] - Q: What is the role of champions?
• [25:45] - Champions: President, Citizens, Private Sector, Government Institutions
• [28:46] - Q: What is your advice for other countries?
• [28:52] - Advice: Political Will, Enabling Environment (Frameworks, Legal, Strategy), M&E, Own Technology Stack, Connectivity, Implementation Framework.
• [31:32] - Closing Credits

Related Resources Mentioned

• Digital Public Infrastructure Blueprint [09:47]
• Digital Enterprise Architecture Framework [09:50]
• Tanzania Interoperability and Standardization Framework [09:53]
• Guidelines for Safe Usage of ICT [10:01]
• X-Roads Technology (Estonia/Finland - mentioned as comparable data exchange tech) [18:08]
• National Identification Authority (NIDA) [11:26]
• Tanzania Instant Payment System (TIPS) [15:04]
• Government Electronic Payment Gateway (GePG) [14:05] (Implied part of Jamii Malipo)
• Tanzania National Business Council (TNBC) [26:25]
• Personal Data Protection Act [30:14]