1. United Republic of Tanzania Open Data Initiatives in Tanzania September, 2016 www.ega.go.tz

2. Agenda Challenges Open Data Initiative Future Plan Open Data
Background
Open Data Initiatives in Tanzania
Planned Activities according to OGP Action Plans
Progress Made
Open data working group and taskforce
Open Data Guideline
Approved Data sets
Open data portal
Open data policy draft
Challenges
Open Data Initiative Future Plan
Conclusion

3. Background
The United Republic of Tanzania joined the Open Government Partnership (OGP) in September 2011.
The country’s first OGP Action Plan 2012/13 focused on enhancing transparency, citizen participation, accountability and integrity and the use of technology and innovation in service delivery sectors of health, water and education.

4. Background
Tanzania’s Second OGP Action Plan focuses on five priority areas, selected for their cross-cutting importance. These areas are:
Freedom of Information Act
Open Budgets
Open Data
Land Transparency
Extractive Industries Transparency

5. Background OGP Action Plan III 2016/17 – 2017/18
Tanzania’s Third OGP Action Plan focuses on seven priority areas. Five of these were partially implemented in the Second Action Plan and two have been added.
On-going Commitments:
Access to Information
Open Budgets
Open Data
Land Transparency
Extractive Industries Transparency :
Additional Commitments
Medical and Health Service Transparency
Performance Management Systems

6. Open Data Initiatives
OGP Action Plan I Open Data Commitment
Study global good practice on data disclosure for establishment of website that reflects high global standards to contain asubstantial number of Government held data sets by December 2013
OGP Action Plan II 2014/16 Open Data Commitment
Establish strong open data system by December 2016
Priority Sectors
Health
Education
Water

7. Open Data Initiatives in Tanzania
Planned activities according to OGP Action Plan I & II
Open data readiness Assessment
Prepare guidelines on data management
Formulate Open Data Policy
Establishment of Open Data Portal
Publish data set on open data portal

8. Open Data Readiness Assessment (ODRA)
In 2013 the Government of Tanzania conducted the Open Data Readiness Assessment (ODRA) to scan the situation and set the baseline for the implementation of Open Data initiative in the country.
The assessment based on the ‘Eco-system’ criteria considered essential for an Open Data initiative

9. Open Data Working Group
The government of Tanzania has established a working group under the Ministry of Finance to oversee the implementation of open data initiatives in the country. The working group include four(4) public institutions namely:
National bureau of statistics(NBS),
e-Government Agency(eGA),
Records and Archive Management Department
Tanzania Information Services(MAELEZO)

10. Open Data Working Group….......
e-Government Agency (eGA) is a semi-autonomous institution established under the Executive Agencies Act, No.30 Cap. 245 of 1997, with the mandate of coordination, oversight and promotion of e-government initiatives. eGA Responsibilities on open data initiatives include:
Developing and maintaining the Open Data portal
Providing technical support (ITC) to public institutions implementing open data initiatives.
prepare specialised training programmes to public institutions implementing Open Data initiatives

11. Open Data Management Circular
Open data management circular were drafted and approved in January 2015
Data sets from the three priority sectors ( Health, Water and Education were identified, vetted and uploaded on the portal

12. Open Data Policy
The Open Data policy draft aims to provide directives, guidelines, and uniformity in implementing Open Data initiatives in Tanzania.
Stakeholders have been consulted in order to make sure that this open data policy will improve public services delivery.
The comments have been incorporated
The draft Policy is ready for for submission to the Cabinet

13. Open Data Portal
Open Data Portal ( is one stop center established to provide data in a machine readable format to be used and re-used
The data provided are commissioned by priotised sectors of Education, Water, Health and is not related to data on individuals.
The Open Data Portal is managed by the open data working group
100 data sets were uploaded on the portal
Education 65
Water 11
Health 10
NBS 14

14. Open Data Portal It has 12,967 users
131 countries are visiting the portal including Tanzania is leading , followed by Kenya, United States, Sudan, United Kingdom, Netherlands, India, South Africa, Brazil, German, Italy and United Arab Emirates.
61,380 content drill down
Education data sets are leading in Content drilldown used especially examination results

16. © e-Government Agency 2015

20. Challenges
Lack of awareness and knowledge on open data among data usage producers and users
Lack of fund to implement the open data initiatives
Lack of internet connectivity in remote areas
Unaffordable internet connectivity
Lack of applications that make easy understanding and usage of open data in Tanzania

21. Open Data Initiative Future Plan
Most of the future plans focus Formulate the open data legal framework that includes policy, Act and license
Improve and maintain open data portal (developing user generated content application
Ensure a continued supply of clean, uploaded and updated approved data sets
Build the capacity for open data providers and users
Develop open data communication strategy

22. Conclusion
Open data is part of the broader Tanzania Government commitment to open government partnership (OGP).
When data is made available freely for use, re use and other innovations it unlocks opportunities in social and economic benefits.
Open data has the potential to empower Citizens with informed decisions, advance research and enable improved investment decisions in the country
So All stakeholders must work together to achieve the desired open data goals goals

23. Thanks for Listening