Tanzanian Minister for Works, Transport and Communications has instructed local public sector agencies to stop their data center development plans, and move into a government facility instead.

As reported by local publication the Daily News, Professor Makame Mbarawa was surprised that the largest data center in the country, located in Dar es Salaam and run by the Tanzania Telecommunication Company Limited (TTCL), was barely occupied. At the same time several public institutions had already started developing their own server space.

“I am going to officially communicate this to the government so that the institutions stop such plans,” Mbarawa said.

Oversupply

Dar Es Salaam Tanzania
Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania – Thinkstock / MHGALLERY

The data center in the Kijitonyama suburb of Dar es Salaam’s Kinondoni District was built to Tier Three specifications and is operated by TCCL – the oldest and largest fixed line telecommunications company in Tanzania, still part-owned by the state. The facility offers services to both public and commercial organizations.

The $93.6 million project was announced in 2015 and completed in 2016, but has struggled to utilize its full capacity.

Professor Mbarawa said public sector organizations should make use of the government data center before constructing their own facilities. He argued that building more data centers at this point in time would simply waste public funds.

“I am sure that when the institutions decide to set up their own data base they would end up having Tier One or Two type of data center which are not safe like Tier Three,” he added.