In Africa, the use of VPNs has grown significantly with the frequent Internet blackout strategy used by governments to prevent access at times. Some may soon be unable to access that solution.

On Friday, October 13, the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) issued a public notice calling on individuals and companies whose activities depend on virtual private networks (VPNs) to “declare their VPN and all relevant information including IP address.” The deadline for compliance is set to October 30.  

Paragraph 2 of Article 16 of the Electronic and Postal Communications Act 2020 stipulates that "it is prohibited to make, possess or distribute any technology, program, application or any other related element that enables or helps users to access prohibited content." The law provides for a fine of at least 5 million Tanzanian shillings (approx. $1,996) or imprisonment for at least twelve months, or both.

VPNs enable users to protect themselves online by creating a private connection between their devices and the Internet. They drastically reduce the risk of hacking, encrypt IP addresses, and grant users a new online identity. However, it is also used by cybercriminals who favor it for the anonymity it offers. In some countries, such as China, India, and Russia, the use of VPNs is highly restricted.

Tanzania is no pioneer in this field. By identifying VPN users, the authorities want to keep an eye on everyone –honest people and potential criminals alike– to be able to take effective action if necessary. Tanzania is one of 22 African countries with National Computer Incident Response Teams (CIRTs), and one of 18 on the continent with national cybersecurity strategies.

Adoni Conrad Quenum