Dar es Salaam. Small businesses are increasingly relying on reliable communication networks and digital payment services to reach customers, manage orders and streamline daily operations, according to entrepreneurs who showcased their businesses at a national exhibition in Kahama, Shinyanga Region.
Participants at the fifth Small Industries Development Organisation (SIDO) National Exhibition said access to affordable internet, mobile communication and digital financial services had become important in running businesses, promoting products and securing sales.
Nanzighe Mbwambo, who operates SECH Food, said affordable data and internet services had enabled her to reach customers through social media platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, WhatsApp and Google.
‘As an entrepreneur, internet has been a great help to my business because of the affordability of its bundles and data. Through the Wi-Fi I use, I can easily reach my customers on different online platforms,’ she said. She said she also relied on mobile internet to respond to customer enquiries, follow up on orders and coordinate product deliveries.
Airtel Business Director Joseph Vipond said reliable connectivity was essential for small businesses because it enabled entrepreneurs to maintain contact with customers and coordinate their activities.
‘Entrepreneurs need to communicate with customers, follow up on orders and coordinate their activities efficiently,’ he said, adding that services such as Airtel Chapakazi were intended to support businesses with their communication needs.
For entrepreneurs operating outside major commercial centres, network coverage is equally important.
Tito Miraji Mshana, who runs M Leather Mwanga Organic Leather in Usangi, Mwanga District, Kilimanjaro Region, said he used Airtel Money and Lipa Namba to receive payments from customers. He said digital payment services had simplified transactions, while reliable connectivity enabled him to remain in contact with customers and suppliers even when away from his business premises.
Mr Mshana also welcomed Airtel Tanzania’s investment in expanding network coverage, particularly in areas where communication services are important for business operations. Another entrepreneur, Sylvia Nchimbi from Dar es Salaam, said Airtel Lipa Namba had made receiving payments easier and safer by reducing the need to carry cash.
‘With Lipa Namba, I can receive payments more easily and feel safer because I do not have to carry cash,’ she said.
She added that convenient access to payments helped her obtain materials required for production and meet customer demand.
Footwear maker Nasiji Maundi also uses the service to receive and manage payments, citing its convenience and transaction charges as important considerations for her business.
Airtel Tanzania says it is continuing to invest in network expansion through the construction of additional communication towers to extend coverage to more communities, including areas beyond major commercial centres.
The experiences shared at the exhibition highlight the growing role of digital services in supporting small enterprises, particularly in connecting production with markets.
However, entrepreneurs also need access to capital, production equipment, raw materials and wider markets to increase output and expand their businesses.
Reliable connectivity and digital payments complement these requirements by helping business owners communicate with buyers, respond to orders, coordinate deliveries and receive payments.
The growing use of these services is making digital access an increasingly important component of small-business operations.