Malagasy businessman Hassanein Hiridjee’s Yas Tanzania targets 100,000 fiber subscribers with $114 million investment

Yas Tanzania, the country’s second-largest mobile and digital lifestyle operator backed by Malagasy businessman Hassanein Hiridjee’s Axian group, has set an ambitious target to attract 100,000 fiber-optic broadband subscribers in Zanzibar over the next three years, as it moves to expand high-speed internet access across the archipelago. The telecom operator announced on June 23 that it has signed an agreement with the Zanzibar government and the Zanzibar Communications Corporation (ZICTIA) to accelerate fiber deployment.

The agreement commits Yas to invest Tsh300 billion ($114 million), over a 20-year period. The investment will focus on expanding fiber infrastructure across Zanzibar’s two main islands, Unguja and Pemba, targeting both households and businesses.

Yas bets on fiber to drive digital growth

The planned rollout comes amid rising demand for high-capacity broadband services driven by ongoing digital transformation. Fiber-optic technology is increasingly viewed as critical infrastructure, offering faster speeds, greater reliability, and the capacity required for data-intensive applications.

For consumers, fiber enables services such as video conferencing for remote work, high-definition and 4K streaming, online gaming, and simultaneous connectivity across multiple devices. It also supports interactive online education and large-scale data transfers, positioning it as a key enabler of modern digital economies.

Market position and competitive landscape

If Yas succeeds in scaling its subscriber base, the expansion could strengthen its position in Tanzania’s competitive fixed broadband market. Data from the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) shows that Yas had 9,804 fixed broadband subscribers as of March 2026, ranking seventh in market share.

The operator trails competitors including Halotel, Wananchi, Savana Fibre, TTCL, Vodacom, and Airtel. Market leaders Vodacom and Airtel reported 213,010 and 114,109 subscribers respectively during the same period, although these figures may require confirmation from official filings.

Affordability remains a key hurdle

Yas Tanzania, the country’s second-largest mobile and digital lifestyle operator backed by Axian Group, the pan-African investment conglomerate controlled by Malagasy businessman Hassanein Hiridjee, is based in Mauritius, Axian Telecom serves more than 42.9 million mobile subscribers and 15.2 million mobile money users in about 17 African markets directly and indirectly.

Despite the planned infrastructure expansion, adoption rates may depend heavily on affordability. According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the cost of 5 GB of fixed broadband data in Tanzania accounted for about 28% of gross national income per capita in 2025. This remains significantly above the ITU’s affordability benchmark of 2% of monthly income.

Bridging this affordability gap will likely be critical to determining whether Yas can convert infrastructure investment into meaningful subscriber growth and long-term market share gains.