Assessing the organisational readiness and compliance with the personal data protection legislation in Tanzania

Abstract

The rapid digitization and digitalization of services, along with extensive use of personal data across public and private sectors, have raised concerns about personal data protection and privacy. In response, like other countries, Tanzania enacted the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA), Cap. 44 of 2022, and its associated regulations. While these instruments establish a legal framework for data protection, their effectiveness depends on organizations’ readiness to implement and comply with them. This study assesses organizational readiness and compliance with the PDPA, identifies key implementation challenges, and proposes measures to strengthen personal data protection practices in Tanzania. A pragmatic mixed-methods design guided by institutional theory was employed, with data collected from 232 organizations using a structured electronic questionnaire. Quantitative items assessed five readiness dimensions - awareness, internal policies, staff training, technical infrastructure, and management support. Meanwhile, open-ended questions examined implementation challenges and solutions. Quantitative data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM), and revealed that all five readiness dimensions were positively and significantly associated with compliance, with technical resources (β = 0.412) being the strongest predictor. Qualitative responses were thematically analyzed using NVivo v14, with results corroborating the quantitative findings and revealing deeper barriers, including limited awareness and capacity, and regulatory challenges. Integrated findings indicate that while larger organizations demonstrate basic preparedness, SMEs and NGOs face systemic capacity limitations. Overall, the study highlights the need for strengthened institutional capacity and a compliance-oriented culture, and provides evidence-based recommendations to support effective implementation of the legislation.