In 2024, Tanzania launched the Tanzania Digital Economy Strategic Framework 2024–2034, outlining an ambitious vision for a digitally inclusive, innovation-driven future. The goals are clear: stronger infrastructure, digital skills development, inclusive access and innovation ecosystems. Now, nearly two years in, it is worth asking a simple but important question:

"Has the everyday digital experience meaningfully changed?"

For many citizens, interacting with government portals, financial platforms, and service applications, the answer is not yet clear, so while the Strategic Framework sets the direction, strategy alone does not transform digital experiences. Transformation begins with execution — in how products are designed, tested, maintained and continuously improved.

One of the supporters of this initiative is the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, who have invested human capital by sending 20 staff members for postgraduate degrees in emerging technologies and providing short term training to approximately 450 others. These efforts signal a clear commitment to strengthening institutional capacity in line with the country's digital transformation ambitions.

However, as the central body responsible for formulating, monitoring, and implementing ICT and telecommunications policies, the Ministry also plays a critical role in setting the standards for public digital systems. When viewed through this lens, examining some of the existing platforms under its oversight invites broader discussions about institutional readiness.

For example, the ICT professional portal (https://professional.ictc.go.tz). The initiative itself is commendable, and the platform is visually structured, the flows are clear, and technically "it works". But when examined closely, there are gaps that begin to appear.

During my trial of the sign-up process on the website, I completed the required steps, from Personal Information through to Account Information, and attempted to submit the form. After clicking submit, there was no visible response from the system. The page did not refresh, and there was no confirmation or error message indicating the status of the submission.

The absence of feedback in situations like these, can create uncertainty for users. Without clear confirmation or guidance, it becomes difficult to determine whether the submission was successful, whether an input error occurred, or whether there may have been a connectivity issue. From a product perspective, these moments, often referred to as "failure states" are critical touch points in building clarity and trust within a digital system.

Effective digital systems should anticipate failure states, provide clear, human readable feedback, and offer recovery paths. Without these, even a technically functional platform can feel fragile.

A similar pattern can be observed in other digital platforms, even those that otherwise offer relatively smoother user journeys.

For example, in my experience whilst using the AirTanzania website, the booking process itself was straightforward and efficient. Selecting a flight, entering my details, and completing the payment felt seamless and well-structured.

However, a challenge emerged during the online check-in stage. After receiving the standard email notification indicating that online check-in was open, I clicked the link provided to proceed to check-in. The link redirected me to the "manage booking" page, where the PNR and surname fields were pre-populated.

While the PNR field was correctly filled, the surname field was not populated as expected. Instead, what appeared to be a function from the underlying code was displayed in place of the passenger's surname. As a result, the system returned an error and prevented progression.

This, technically, was not a major structural failure, the core booking functionality had already worked, but it highlights an important dimension of digital maturity. Small inconsistencies at key interaction points can interrupt user confidence and create unnecessary friction, particularly when they occur at critical stages such as the check-in process on applications such as these.

Together, these examples point to a broader pattern: systems may function at a primary level, yet still lack the robustness and polish required for consistent, reliable user experiences.

While gaps in usability and system feedback shape how users perceive a platform, they are only part of a broader structural picture. If we move beyond interface design and user experience to the underlying foundations, particularly security and data governance, the conversation changes entirely and the stakes increase significantly.

When viewed from the security aspect, the ICT professional portal presents another point of reflection. During the sign-up attempt, beyond initial usability concerns, an observation was made in regards to data handling. User-entered information appeared visible within the browser's developer console.

While this may be attributable to an implementation oversight rather than malicious intent, it still brings up an important question about security and data protection standards — particularly for a platform tied to professional registration and national digital initiatives. At this level, the issue is no longer about polish or feedback mechanics, but about trust, safeguards, and the integrity of the systems we are building.

As Tanzania eases its foot off the brakes and accelerates toward a more digitised economy, i.e. expanding digital financial services, professional platforms, and public systems, security and resilience cannot be treated as secondary considerations. The risks associated with digital systems grow alongside their adoption. Scale amplifies both opportunity and vulnerability.

This is not a question of vision. The Framework clearly articulates ambition, direction, and intent. Nor is it a dismissal of the progress already underway. Two years into a ten-year strategy is still early — Rome wasn't built in a day after all— and structural transformation takes time, especially at a national level.

The question is are we digitising — embedding security, reliability, and accountability into the foundations of our platforms, or are we simply launching portals — mistaking presence for progress?

Because, at the end of the day, digital transformation is not only measured by the existence of portals. It is also measured by their reliability, clarity, safety, and trustworthiness.