Investment Opportunities in Tanzania

Investment Opportunities in Tanzania

Investment Opportunities in Tanzania

Investment Opportunities in Tanzania

By 2025, the country expects to be an industrialized middle-income country. In accordance with this vision, we have decided to place a greater emphasis on developing a strong industrial base. Tanzania has established Export Processing Zones (EPZs) and Special Economic Zones (SEZs) as ponds of industrial growth and services in order to promote export trade. The EPZ scheme encourages investment in the manufacturing sector, primarily for export, whereas the SEZ scheme includes agriculture, trade, tourism, mining, and forestry.

Tanzania provides generous fiscal incentives through the Export Processing Zone/Special Economic Zone (EPZ/SEZ) schemes in order to attract both FDIs and domestic direct investments (DDIs).

Improving Tanzania’s transportation infrastructure is a top priority for the Tanzanian government.

The development of the country’s roads, ports, railways, and airport infrastructure is critical for the country’s internal and external trade and commercial activities. As Tanzania strives to become a middle-income country, the sector’s future development will include improvements in the energy sector.

Infrastructure projects present exciting opportunities for investors seeking to capitalize on Tanzania’s rapidly expanding economy.

  • Huge untapped opportunity in the power generation sector, utilizing the country’s abundant energy resources such as natural gas, coal, uranium, and renewable resources.
  • Development opportunities for inland container depots and extended railway lines.

Investment Opportunities in Tanzania

  • Industry of sugar (considering a demand gap currently met through imports).
  • Increasing the production of edible oil (there is a need to reduce dependence on imports).
  • Manufacturing of meat, fish, fruit, vegetables, oils and fats
  • Manufacturing of dairy products; manufacturing of grain mill products, starches and starch products, and prepared animal feeds
  • Manufacturing of other food products (e.g., bread, sugar, chocolate, pasta, coffee, nuts, and spices)
  • Tanzania relies entirely on imported automobiles, such as passenger cars.
  • Natural gas, soda ash, and other minerals required by the petroleum, gas, and chemical industries have been discovered in Tanzania
  • Tanzania imports 60 percent of its edible oil in 2015.
  • Tanzania is one of the 20 countries that will offer the largest prospects for consumer products companies globally in the near future, notably for food and beverages.

Tanzania has risen to the top of the African economies in terms of attracting FDIs. Tanzania is rich in a wide range of industrial minerals, precious metals, and gemstones. Iron ore, soda ash, coal, clay soil, uranium, gold, diamond, and tanzanite are among them.

  • Precious metals and gemstones processing
  • Construction of a caustic soda refinery in Engaruka.
  • Iron ore and steel production in Liganga
  • Nickel processing in Kabanga; Uranium extraction in Mkuju
  • Mineral smelters are being built.
  • Mineral exports accounted for USD 1.37 billion (or 24 percent) of Tanzania's overall export value in 2015, with gold accounting for more than 90% of the total.

Tanzania has a diverse range of industrial minerals, precious metals, and gemstones, including iron ore, soda ash, coal, clay soil, uranium, and gold. Tanzania also possesses a diverse range of gemstones, including aquamarine, garnet, ruby, sapphire, tourmaline, and tanzanite.

  • The majority of these resources are exported in their unprocessed state, depriving the country of work.


This sector is critical to Tanzania's industrialization since it provides markets for industrial products as well as raw materials. Tanzania has 44 million hectares of arable land, including 29.4 million hectares suited to irrigation.

  • Engaging in large-scale commercial cultivation of crops like sugarcane, rice, wheat, coffee, tea, sunflower, pulses, floriculture, cotton, sisal, grape, and maize. Sugarcane planting and production are aided by abundant water resources, favorable weather conditions, and a large market potential
  • Development of out growers to supplement the supplies of raw materials for the industries as suitable
  • Huge potential for investment in agro-industries and agro-processing
  • Irrigation system expansion and enhancement; agricultural cultivation R&D improvement. Agriculture employs about 67 % of the employed population and remains central to Tanzania’s industrialization as it provides markets for industrial products and raw materials for industries
  • Tanzania has the second largest livestock population in Africa;
  • Less than 1% of all meat is processed locally, while vast quantities of processed meat are imported
  • Freshwater cover is estimated to be 54,337 square kilometers, or about 6.1 percent of the total country's surface area;
  • Tanzania has the second largest livestock population in Africa, with less than 1% of all meat processed locally while vast quantities of processed meat are imported.
  • Freshwater cover is estimated to be 54,337 sq km, or around 6.1 percent of the total country's surface area.

From the present 300,000 tons per year, the sugar supply shortfall is expected to grow at a rate of 6% per year

  • Tanzania currently has four sugar plantations that produce a total of 300,000 tons of sugar per year and are operating at full capacity.
  • Tanzania currently has four sugar plantations that produce a total of 300,000 tons of sugar per year and are operating at full capacity
  • Tanzania has one of the greatest average cane yields in the world, at 120 tons per hectare
  • Tanzania has one of the best irrigation potentials in the sub-region, thanks to abundant rainfall and bountiful rivers fed by the high hinterland plateaus

In target sugar zones, the soil and topography are excellent for industrial sugarcane cultivation.

  • Tanzania spends more than $150,000 per year on edible oil imports. Tanzania is reliant on imported edible oil due to a lack of sophisticated mechanical extraction equipment and inadequate ways to boost agricultural output.
  • Tanzania contains sunflower, cotton, groundnuts, soya beans, and palm trees, which can be utilized to underpin a competitive edible oil industry in the country and regional market with enhanced production and productivity.

Tanzania's tourism industry accounts for around 24% of exports and 17.2% of GDP. This is a rapidly expanding industry with numerous investment prospects.

Construction of Tourist Hotels in towns, game parks, and along the 850-mile coast line of mainland Tanzania and the gorgeous coastlines of the spice Island of Zanzibar are all regions where tourism offers plenty of investment prospects.

  • The creation of recreational parks.
  • Golf course construction.
  • Investing in tourism-related convention facilities.
  • Air and land transportation.
  • Sea and lake cruising, as well as tour operations and trophy hunting.
  • Ecotourism development, beach tourism, cultural and historical places
  • Tanzania is the only country in the world that has set aside more than a quarter of its total land area for the conservation of wildlife and other natural resources.

There are 16 National Parks, 28 Game Reserves, 44 Game Controlled Areas, 1 Conservation Area, and 2 Marine Parks in Tanzania. • Tanzania's wildlife resources are among the best in the world and have long been well-known.

In 2014, the industry continued to thrive, as evidenced by an increase in international tourist arrivals to 1,140,156 from 782,699 in 2010. As a result, tourism revenue climbed from USD 1,254.50 in 2010 to USD 2,006.32 million in 2011.

The services sector, notably ICT, which is one of Tanzania's fastest-growing sub-sectors, offers great opportunities. In the previous ten years, Tanzania's communications market has experienced remarkable expansion and transformation. The ICT market has expanded in terms of subscribers, service variety, and geographic coverage.

  • Provision of mobile services, particularly in rural areas, as urban penetration is higher.
  • Network/data value-added services provision and operation (internet, voice mail, electronic mail services).
  • Telecommunications facility repair and maintenance
  • There is a lot of room for financial institutions, microfinance banks, investment banks, agricultural banks, and commercial banks.
  • In December 2015, there were roughly 39,808,4196 mobile customers in the market, compared to 2,963,737 in 2005.
  • In December 2014, penetration was 67 percent, up from 10% in 2005.
  • By December 2015, there were around 16,280,943 Internet service subscribers, up from 3,563,732 in 2005.


Tanzania has a total size of 945,037 square kilometers. Freshwater cover is predicted to be 54,337 square kilometers, or around 6.1 percent of the country's total surface area. The country has a 64,000-square-kilometer Territorial Sea, a 223,000-square-kilometer Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), and a 1,424-kilometer stretch of Indian Ocean coastline, as well as other inland water bodies (major and minor lakes, rivers, dams, ponds, and wetlands) covering about 5,000 square kilometers. Lake Victoria (shared with Kenya and Uganda), Lake Tanganyika (shared with Burundi, DRC, and Zambia), and Lake Nyasa are the country's three major interior lakes (shared with Malawi and Mozambique). Establishment of fishing port and fishing in the Exclusive Economic Zone

  • Establishing sophisticated fishing boat building yards and fish processing units.
  • Establishment of eco-tourism and dry-docking facilities.
  • Mafia Island has around 3000 hectares suited for shrimp cultivation.
  • Commercial fish cage culture in both marine and freshwater environments
  • Freshwater species such as Tilapias, African Catfish, Rainbow Trout, and Freshwater Prawns • Cultured species such as Mud crabs, Oysters, Grouper, and Scallops for mariculture
  • Formulated fish feeds and live fish food production (eg. Earthworms)
  • Deep sea fishing, fish processing, value addition in fish and other fisheries products, cold chain, fishing equipment and accessory manufacture
  • Establishing sophisticated fishing boat building yards and fish processing units.
  • Establishment of eco-tourism and dry-docking facilities.
  • Mafia Island has around 3000 hectares suited for shrimp cultivation.
  • Commercial fish cage culture in both marine and freshwater environments
  • Freshwater species such as Tilapias, African Catfish, Rainbow Trout, and Freshwater Prawns • Cultured species such as Mud crabs, Oysters, Grouper, and Scallops for mariculture
  • Formulated fish feeds and live fish food production (eg. Earthworms)
  • Tanzania generated US$ 195.2 million per year from fish and fisheries goods exports between 2005 and 2010.
  • Lake Victoria (shared with Kenya and Uganda), Lake Tanganyika (shared with Burundi, DRC, and Zambia), and Lake Nyasa are the country's three major interior lakes (shared with Malawi and Mozambique).

Tanzania offers excellent natural resources for livestock production, including hardy livestock breeds, wide rangelands, and diversified natural vegetation. The country's land resources total 88.6 million hectares, of which 60 million hectares are suitable for grazing.

  • Establishment of joint venture projects to modernize existing ranches with National Ranching Company (NARCO) and other privately owned ranches,
  • Establishment of new ranches (cattle, sheep, and goats) and farms (poultry and piggery)
  • Livestock fattening
  • Construction of modern slaughterhouses and processing factories;
  • Establishment of breeder farms for grand and parent stock
  • Establishment of animal feed processing plants to supply feeds to large local small and medium scale producers
  • Establishment of commercial layers and broiler farms
  • Establishment of broiler processing plants to serve as a hub/market for small and medium scale poultry production
  • Establishment of tanneries, footwear and leather goods production
  • Establishment of dairy farms and milk processing facilities
  • Investment in livestock farming, with a priority on beef, dairy, chicken, hides, and skins.


Tanzania has a varied range of energy resources, including biomass, natural gas, hydro, coal, geothermal, solar and wind power, and uranium, much of which is still underutilized. Petroleum and electricity, which are commercial energy sources, account for roughly 8% and 1.2 percent of the primary energy used, respectively. Coal, solar, and wind make up less than 1% of the total.

  • Energy generation, transmission, and distribution from a variety of sources
  • Development, restoration, and expansion of power infrastructure
  • Construction of petroleum pipelines and petroleum products unloading terminals; development of upcountry storage and distribution facilities
  • Exploration and development of geothermal resources
  • Electrification of rural areas
  • Promotion of energy efficiency and conservation programs, as well as the development of new and renewable energy resources
  • Currently, electricity is available to 21% of the population, with 7.4% of the population living in rural areas
  • Tanzania's power sector is dominated by Tanzania Electricity Supply Company Ltd (TANESCO), a single vertically integrated national utility. • The total grid installed generation capacity of both TANESCO's power plants and private producers is currently at 1,438.24 MW. • TANESCO owns 561 MW of hydro power stations and 658 MW of thermal power plants.
  • Non-hydro renewable energy accounts for less than 5% of total power generation.

Wood-fuel contributes for up to 90% of total national energy consumption, with electricity accounting for 2% and petroleum products accounting for 8%.

Accommodation in Dar es Salaam and other cosmopolitan places is in short supply, owing to, among other things, the rapid expansion of economic projects, which has drawn a large number of people (both international and local) in need of a place to live. Investors may form a partnership with the National Housing Corporation (NHC), Tanzania Building Agency (TBA), or other private companies to supply residential and commercial building solutions. Development and management of housing estates

  • Constructing and managing residential flats
  • Developing and managing office buildings
  • Constructing and managing conference and banquet facilities
  • Constructing and managing shopping malls
  • Constructing and managing movie theaters and entertainment venues
  • Hotel development and management
  • Creating and managing mixed-use real estate projects
  • Providing home finance, and so on.

Half of Tanzania's 45 million people are expected to move to cities in the next 20 years, thus more needs to be done in terms of housing loans and construction to fulfill the country's ever-growing housing demands.

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