DAR ES SALAAM: Tanzania is stepping up efforts to attract Chinese investment into key manufacturing sectors, including textiles, agro-processing and mineral beneficiation, as it seeks to accelerate industrialisation and reduce reliance on imports.
Planning and Investment Minister Kitila Mkumbo pitched Tanzania as a competitive production base and regional trade gateway at an investment forum in Shanghai on Wednesday, urging Chinese firms to set up factories in the East African country.
He called on textile and garment manufacturers in particular to invest in cotton-growing regions such as Shinyanga, Simiyu and Mara, as the government looks to retain more value from raw materials.
Around 80% of Tanzania’s cotton is exported in raw form, highlighting the push to develop domestic processing capacity, create jobs and boost export earnings.
“We welcome Chinese enterprises to collaborate with Tanzania in developing modern industrial parks and special economic zones, advancing technology transfer and expanding manufacturing capacity for global markets,” Mkumbo said.
The outreach is part of broader efforts by President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s administration to position Tanzania as an investment destination, supported by regulatory reforms and infrastructure upgrades.
These include streamlined business licensing, expanded public-private partnerships and strengthened investment facilitation through the Tanzania Investment and Special Economic Zones Authority (TISEZA).
The government is also investing in logistics infrastructure, including upgrades to the port of Dar es Salaam and construction of an electrified standard gauge railway to improve regional connectivity.
Tanzania’s Vision 2025| Infrastructure-led growth strengthens China partnership
Mkumbo highlighted additional opportunities for Chinese investors in electronics assembly, construction materials, machinery and mineral value addition.
He said Tanzania’s appeal lies in its population of more than 70 million, political stability and access to a regional market of over 300 million people across the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
Membership in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) further expands that reach to more than one billion consumers.
“Investing in Tanzania is not just about the domestic market, but access to a much larger regional and continental market,” he said.
The government is also preparing a long-term development plan, Vision 2050, aimed at transforming Tanzania into an upper-middle-income, industrialised and knowledge-based economy.
Chinese business representatives signalled strong interest. Lisa Wang, chairperson of the East Africa Commercial and Logistic Centre, said more than 200 companies attended the forum.
“This is a golden opportunity. Many enterprises here are looking closely at Tanzania as their next investment destination,” she said.
