The Tanzanian government has launched a 2026-2031 industrial development programme in collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). The programme, known as the Programme for Country Partnership (PCP), aims to support Tanzania's industrial goals as outlined in the Tanzania Development Vision 2050. The PCP will be implemented in both Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar, taking into account their respective industrial priorities. This initiative seeks to coordinate public institutions, businesses, development partners, and financial institutions around investment, industrial policy, and financing.
The PCP focuses on expanding local production and increasing the value added to Tanzanian resources. Key areas of work include improving the investment environment, strengthening industrial governance and skills, promoting technology and innovation, and expanding opportunities for trade and market access. The programme identifies agriculture, livestock, fisheries, forestry, and mining as sources of raw materials for domestic processing. Additionally, it aims to support cleaner manufacturing, sustainable energy, and more efficient use of resources. This approach is expected to create jobs, raise incomes, reduce reliance on imports, and increase exports.
The launch of the programme took place at the Industrial Development Symposium in Dodoma on 3 November 2026. Deputy Minister for Industry and Trade, Dennis Londo, emphasized that industrial development should be measured by improvements in production and economic outcomes, rather than by the number of factories alone. He noted that more domestic processing could have a positive impact on the economy and employment. UNIDO Representative in Tanzania, Lorence Marielle Ansermet, highlighted the importance of cooperation among the government, private sector, and development partners for industrial transformation.
UNIDO will provide technical support for the PCP's priorities. The organization describes the PCP as its flagship model for bringing public institutions, the private sector, development partners, and financial institutions together to advance industrial development. The Tanzanian government requested this partnership, and the agreement was signed in Vienna on 22 June 2026. The programme's launch in Tanzania follows the upcoming launch of the Sustainable Industrial Development Policy 2025 and the revised Small and Medium Enterprises Development Policy on 4 November 2026.
Minister of Industry and Trade, Judith Kapinga, stated that the PCP demonstrates Tanzania's commitment to translating the ambitions of Dira 2050 into concrete action. The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ambassador Waziri Rajab Salum, called on stakeholders to participate in implementing the programme and help identify priority projects for cooperation. The government's focus on industrial development is expected to drive economic growth and improve living standards.
The PCP is a five-year programme that aims to drive industrial development in Tanzania. It brings together various stakeholders to support the country's industrial goals. By improving the investment environment and promoting technology and innovation, the programme seeks to increase the value added to Tanzanian resources. This approach is expected to have a positive impact on the economy, employment, and trade.
The implementation of the PCP will require cooperation among various stakeholders, including the government, private sector, and development partners. UNIDO's technical support will be crucial in helping Tanzania achieve its industrial development goals. The programme's success will be measured by its impact on production, economic outcomes, and job creation. Key points include:
Key points
- The programme focuses on expanding local production and increasing the value added to Tanzanian resources.
- The PCP aims to support cleaner manufacturing, sustainable energy, and more efficient use of resources.
- The programme seeks to create jobs, raise incomes, reduce reliance on imports, and increase exports.
