Activities in Tanzania

Project NINJA in Tanzania

Background of the Project

Since early 2020, the global pandemic of COVID-19 has greatly affected economic activities. This pandemic has resulted in significant negative impacts not only for business, but also in human life.

The NINJA Business Plan Competition was launched by JICA under this circumstance, trying to find promising start-ups with innovative solutions and/or good business models against such pandemic situations, especially in the fields of health, disaster management, business services, education, food and agriculture, finance, and logistics.

In Tanzania, three (3) start-ups, i.e. Agrinfo Company Limited, Tanzania Maji Jibu Company Limited, and Toolboksi Technologies Limited, emerged as winners in 2020, from a total of 90 applicants who presented their innovative ideas in this first NINJA competition in Tanzania.

Videos for NINJA Project/Startup Companies (JICA Channel)

• 1. What is NINJA Project (Youtube, external link)
• 2. Agrinfo Company Limited (Youtube, external link)
• 3. Tanzania Maji Jibu Company Limited (Youtube, external link)
• 4. Toolboksi Technologies Limited (Youtube, external link)

1. Agrinfo Company Limited

Agrinfo had developed and provided a digital platform solution, "JembeKilimo" that connects underserved smallholder farmers (SHFs) to the necessary elements that improve their productivity including smart-farming information. Using mobile phone technology, reliable data collected from drone and satellite imagery, and sophisticated analytics, JembeKilimo provides farm health information to SHFs via Short Mail Service (SMS) in time to help foster productive yields.

In addition, the company was awarded as the 3rd excellent startup company in Africa at the Grand Final of the NINJA Competition in Tokyo, February 2021.

• The Online Pitch Event on the NINJA (Next INnovation with JApan) Business Plan Competition by New Business Enterprises "Startups"

2. Tanzania Maji Jibu Company Limited

Tanzania Maji Jibu capitalises and equips emerging market entrepreneurs to create affordable access to drinking water and other necessities using a franchise model. Jibu has equipped co-investing entrepreneurs with turn-key franchise businesses that make safe drinking water affordable in their communities. They offer financing via a franchise model giving small entrepreneurs a large business advantage.

During the NINJA, Jibu has increased the number of franchisees in Tanzania to 20 factories. The franchisees (factories) in Mianzini, Moshono, Ilala, Goba, Tanga, and Tegeta started operation through NINJA. As a result, they created 60 new jobs and enabled 3,000 households to have access to safe and affordable drinking water.

3. Toolboksi Technologies Limited

Toolboksi is a technology e-commerce platform that provides informal sector workers (called artisans, handymen, or "fundis") with consistent work opportunities and access to upskilling and career progression. It connects households and businesses with trusted and verified handymen conveniently for their various repair, installation, and maintenance service needs.

Four out of five working Tanzanians (i.e., 80%) rely on informal work for their income and struggle to prove their trustworthiness and qualifications to customers. Toolboksi helps increase job opportunities for the workers in the informal sector by increasing their income and improving their livelihoods through their online platform, while offering quality services to the households and businesses who look for reliable "fundis" to do repairs, installation, and maintenance services.