Tanzania joins Zambia in being among the world's first countries to have access to Facebook's Internet.org mobile application.

In July, Zambians received access to the app which gives users free health, employment and local information data services.

Mobile network Airtel enabled the app in Zambia while telecoms firm Tigo is switching on the Internet.org service in Tanzania.

In a statement, Tigo Tanzania says the Internet.org app will be available on October 29.

Free data services on offer via the app include; for example, AccuWeather, BBC News & BBC Swahili, OLX, SuperSport and Wikipedia.

"Through our partnership with Facebook we aim to increase digital inclusion by encouraging even more Tanzanians to go online," said David Zacharia, Tigo's head of data and devices, in a statement.

According to the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority, the East African country had 9.3 million internet users by June 2014 - equivalent to about an 18% penetration in relation to the nation's 49.25 million population.

Tigo, through its owner Millicom, has also worked with Facebook in Tanzania to offer free access to the social network.

The announcement regarding the Internet.org mobile app access in Tanzania comes after Facebook this week reported that its global user base has stretched to 1.35 billion people.