The National e-Procurement System of Tanzania (NeST) has received an international award and been recognised as one of the world’s top 20 e-government systems during the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Prizes 2026 ceremony, held on 8 July 2026 in Geneva, Switzerland. 

The award was presented to the Director General of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA), Mr Dennis Simba, by the WSIS Prizes Coordinator, Ms Gitanjali Sah, who represented the Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

According to the ITU, the award was presented under the e-Government category, which attracted more than 1,500 systems from 122 countries. The systems were assessed based on their contribution to promoting an inclusive economy, social well-being and sustainable development through the use of technology.

Speaking after receiving the award, the PPRA Director General, Mr Simba, said the achievement resulted from the leadership and vision of the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Her Excellency Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan, who has consistently promoted the use of technology to improve public service delivery by ensuring interoperability among government systems and making services more accessible.

“This award is the result of the significant efforts undertaken by the Sixth Phase Government under the leadership of Her Excellency President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan, as well as her vision to strengthen the use of technology in public service delivery,” Mr Simba said.

He also thanked public procurement stakeholders for embracing and effectively using NeST, noting that their feedback and cooperation have contributed to the system’s continuous improvement. NeST was developed by Tanzanian experts.

Currently, all public procurement processes in Tanzania are conducted through NeST. Conducting public procurement outside the system constitutes a criminal offence under the Public Procurement Act, 2023.