DAR ES SALAAM, Feb. 3 -- A few years ago, internet access in Tanzania was a privilege. Today, it is becoming a basic utility. Phones are everywhere. Mobile data bundles are cheaper. Digital services are no longer limited to cities. From Dar es Salaam to rural districts, more Tanzanians are online than ever before.

This surge in connectivity is not just a telecom success story. It is a data story. And it may quietly become one of the most important drivers of Tanzanias economic growth over the next decade. Over the past ten years, the number of internet users in the country has more than doubled.

Mobile broadband expansion, smartphone affordability and aggressive network investments by telecom operators have pushed internet access past t...