Tanzania could unlock new business opportunities and improve public services by making geospatial data more accessible and enabling startups to test digital products before investing heavily, experts have said.
The remarks were made on Thursday, September 24, 2026, when Finnish Geospatial Research Institute network coordinator Frank Nyamahowa presented on Geospatial Technology Support for SMEs and Public Administration under the ‘Unlocking Growth in Africa’ programme.
He was speaking to Tanzanian government officials on a study tour under the Digital for Tanzania (D4T) Twinning Project. Mr Nyamahowa said location intelligence could help businesses identify markets, improve logistics and develop services, while governments could use it to plan infrastructure and distribute public services more equitably.
‘Location intelligence is the science of where objects, activities, events and phenomena are happening in a specific place, and then integrating other types of data with it,’ he said.
He said combining maps with population projections, transport information and other datasets could help authorities determine where to locate hospitals, clinics and elderly-care facilities without disadvantaging people who lack private transport.
Mr Nyamahowa said Finland’s Location Innovation Hub helps smaller businesses access expertise, testing facilities, computing resources and networks rather than directly handing them grants.
He said startups could test digital platforms using their own or synthetic data, while computing infrastructure such as the LUMI AI Factory could help them develop and validate solutions.
‘If they fail quickly, they learn quickly. They grow quickly,’ he said, describing the value of experimentation facilities that protect data and intellectual property.
Dr Robertson Rockestinen, another expert involved in the discussions, said Tanzania could benefit from adapting elements of Finland’s approach.
‘Making reliable location data accessible and usable could support home-grown services across property, agriculture, forestry, transport, energy and urban planning,’ he said.
Mr Nyamahowa said Finland’s experience showed that opening public data could create opportunities beyond licensing revenue. He cited the National Land Survey’s decision to make geospatial data freely available, saying businesses had used it to develop services for property assessment and energy planning.
‘What would it be if Tanzania had this kind of infrastructure, if the entire country was digitally mapped and made available for anyone to use?’ he asked.
He cautioned that African countries should not simply import foreign models without adapting them to local realities.
‘You can’t copy-paste. It doesn’t work,’ he said, calling for stronger links between African innovation hubs.
Tanzania has already taken steps towards developing spatial infrastructure, with the World Bank-backed Digital Tanzania Project planning to expand digital mapping, street naming, signage and the national addressing database from an initial 66 wards to 711 wards across 37 councils.
Mr Nyamahowa said combining open data, research, testing facilities, skills and finance could turn such foundations into practical solutions and viable businesses.