3 Tanzanian tech startups you should know about

I like to think of technology as a double-edged sword that can be used for the better or worse depending on how you plan to use it.

For the most part, technology products have made our lives easier, and better. In recent years there have been a lot of startups that have revolutionized the world market and simplified our lives through technology. Some of those startups were founded in the Global South.

Tanzania has not been behind in embracing the changes caused by technology, as seen by these tech startups which were founded by the Tanzanian youth for the Tanzanian market. These tech startups were created to cater to the Tanzanian market and solve local educational and financial problems through technology. In this article I cover 3 of them.

Nala

Nala Money is an app that helps users to make secure and reliable payments from the UK and the USA to Africa. Tanzania, Ghana, Uganda, Rwanda, and Kenya are the countries that this service is currently supported in. Nala Money is a fintech startup that was founded by Benjamin Fernandes, a Tanzanian youth.

He and his team are on a mission to contribute in building and changing the narrative of Africa by providing the lowest prices and the best rates when it comes to transferring money.

SmartClass (currently known as Silabu App)

Launched in 2019, by University of Dar-es-Salaam students, SmartClass, which had a recent name change to Silabu App, is a leading online platform for tutoring services. Silabu is an edutech Tanzanian startup that is on a mission to ensure that Africa’s 700M youths learn academic subjects and new skills from their peers online, attend live group classes from the top 1% tutors with a fee 10x cheaper, and also allowing these students to request the top tutors on-demand.

So far the platform has been killing two birds with one stone, by providing technological solutions in the education sector and solving the unemployment issue to the tutors on the app.

Tunzaa

Tunzaa founded by Ng’winula Kingamkono and launched in 2021, aims at influencing the positive financial habits and decisions of an everyday African by making it easy for Africans to buy in installments, be debt-free, and make improved financial decisions. Tunzaa is a fintech startup that connects sellers of products and services directly to their buyers and it allows buyers to save to achieve their goals and plans when it comes to the services or products offered by facilitating payments in small amounts of money at the user’s own pace.

So, what do you think? Let me know in the comments below if you follow other Tanzanian tech startups whose products and services are benefiting people.