DODOMA – Tanzania has officially entered the African space race, with the government announcing on Thursday the completion of procurement for its first small satellite.
Presenting the 2026/27 budget estimates for the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, Minister Angellah Kairuki confirmed that all equipment for the “CubeSat” project—a miniature satellite developed under a UN-backed initiative—has been secured. The satellite has already been registered with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), securing Tanzania’s place in global orbital coordination.
“This milestone allows us to move into the final assembly phase,” Kairuki told Parliament.
The satellite is intended to bolster the nation’s digital economy, improve weather forecasting for the agricultural sector, and enhance telecommunications in remote areas.
The move marks a significant departure for the administration of President Samia Suluhu Hassan, pivoting toward high-tech infrastructure to drive the next decade of growth.
Critics, however, have questioned the prioritization of space technology over immediate rural infrastructure needs, even as the Minister argued that satellite data would eventually lower the cost of managing national resources.
