Dr. Jabiri Kuwe Bakari (Ph.D) is the Director General of the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA), following a presidential appointment in April 2026. Prior to this role, he served as the Director General of the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA). During his tenure at TCRA, Dr. Bakari led significant transformation by fostering a refreshed institutional environment, improving internal processes, and advancing the Authority’s culture toward a digital economy. These efforts contributed to positioning Tanzania’s economy within the digital age, benefiting both local and global stakeholders.

Dr. Bakari is a Tanzanian pracademic, holding a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Computer and Systems Sciences from Stockholm University, Sweden (2007), specializing in ICT Risk and Security Management. He also holds a Master of Science (Engineering) in Data Communications from the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering at the University of Sheffield, UK (1999), and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (1996). His career spans both academia and industry. He is a respected researcher, trainer, analyst, and advisor with over 25 years of experience in ICT management.

He was the founding Chief Executive Officer of the former e-Government Agency, where he led its establishment from April 2012 to January 2020. He subsequently spearheaded its transformation into the e-Government Authority (e-GA) following the enactment of the e-Government Act No. 10 of 2019, becoming its first Director General until April 2021. Under his leadership, e-GA evolved into a well-established and reputable institution, achieving milestones such as the development of shared public ICT systems and infrastructure, enhancement of e-Government consultancy and technical support services, and coordination of national e-Government initiatives through implementation of frameworks, standards, and guidelines. He also championed the philosophy of “home-grown ICT solutions” to address local challenges and build resilient e-Government systems.

Before joining e-GA, Dr. Bakari served for five years (2007–2012) as a Senior Lecturer and Director of the Institute of Educational Technology (IET) at the Open University of Tanzania (OUT). This followed ten years (1996–2007) in various technical, managerial, and leadership roles at the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), including Associate Director of the University Computing Centre (UCC). While at UCC, he played a key role in transforming the Centre into a Limited Liability Company in 2000, where he served as Deputy Managing Director until leaving for his Ph.D. studies in 2003. Upon his return in 2007, he resumed the role, overseeing Finance, Administration, and ICT Services.

At OUT, Dr. Bakari led the transformation of the Institute of Educational Technology, including the establishment of ICT training centers nationwide, particularly in regional areas. As a Cisco Regional Academy Coordinator and Certified Cisco Academy Instructor, he was instrumental in introducing Cisco Academies in Tanzania in 2000. He also spearheaded the establishment of the Tanzania Education and Research Network (TERNET) in 2008 and served as its first Executive Secretary until 2012.

His research focuses on ICT Security Management, and he has published and presented numerous papers at international forums, including the Information Systems Security Association (ISSA), the International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) conferences.

Dr. Bakari is an active member of the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA), Tanzania Chapter, where he served as Vice President from 2011 to 2015. He is also a Certified Director and has been a part time facilitator for Directorship programs focusing on ICT Governance at the Institute of Directors in Tanzania (IoDT) since 2017.