With full utilisation of competitive advantage that the country has, Tanzania can attract more investments and become a regional leader in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector.

This is according to Executive Director of Tanzania Investment Centre (TIC) Emmanuel Ole Naiko in his remarks during the sixth International Conference on ICT for Development, Education and Training held in Dar es Salaam recently.

Mr Naiko said that the Economic Agenda ICT Development creates a win-win situation for investors and the country. Talking on the competitive advantage Tanzania has over others, Mr Naiko mentioned a strategic geographical position and its connectivity to the global markets, a 44 million hectares of arable land, agri-business, extractive industries, power generation, and tourism among others.

"To facilitate investments in all these sectors we have enacted enabling legislations and regulations," he noted.

Mr Naiko explained that Tanzania has several ICT investment from various companies such as Seacom; Easy Cable and the National Cable, adding that along with them are telecom projects which have brought telecommunication facility which a few years ago was reserved for the haves only.

He said to date ICT projects registered by TIC reached 133 projects between 1990 - 2010 or 2.2% of overall projects registered by TIC, creating a total investment of US $ 4,527 million and employment of 32,600 between 1990 and 2010. Giving example of countries that has done well by choosing ICT as the backbone of their economy.

Mr Naiko cited Mauritius which started as a Sugarcane economy in the 1970, moved to tourism in 1980/90s and it is now an ICT economy.

"This decision has made wonders to the economy of Mauritius which reduced the Income Tax from 30 to 15 per cent, an act which widened the tax base and tripled the tax collection," he noted.