Tanzania has extended an invitation to Dutch investors to explore opportunities in the country's mining, agriculture, and port logistics sectors. The government aims to attract capital, technology, and expertise to drive value addition and strengthen regional trade. This appeal was made by Minister of State in the President's Office, Planning and Investment, Prof Kitila Mkumbo, during the Tanzania-EU Business Roadshow in The Hague, Netherlands.
Prof Mkumbo emphasized Tanzania's desire to transition from exporting raw minerals to promoting responsible mineral development, value addition, processing, manufacturing, and integration into global value chains. The country is endowed with deposits of gold, graphite, nickel, copper, and rare earth elements, presenting opportunities for Dutch companies to invest in processing and manufacturing. Such partnerships could help Tanzania move up the mineral value chain while creating jobs and facilitating the transfer of skills and technology.
In the agriculture sector, Tanzania is seeking to shift from exporting raw commodities to producing, processing, packaging, and exporting higher-value products. Areas with investment potential include horticulture, coffee, tea, cashew nuts, spices, livestock, fisheries, aquaculture, and grains. The minister also highlighted the need for Dutch companies to explore opportunities in irrigation and water management, precision agriculture, cold-chain infrastructure, agro-processing, digital agriculture, packaging, food safety, and agricultural logistics.
Efficient logistics are critical to ensuring that agricultural products reach markets without losing value through inadequate storage, transport, or certification. Prof Mkumbo stressed that agriculture and logistics must be developed together. He also identified port logistics as another area where Tanzania could benefit from Dutch expertise, particularly in port management, maritime logistics, supply-chain optimization, and integrated transport systems.
The Port of Dar es Salaam handles approximately 95 percent of Tanzania's international trade and provides access to landlocked markets in Zambia, Malawi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. This creates investment opportunities in seaports, dry ports, logistics centers, warehousing, cold chains, freight forwarding, digital logistics systems, and transport corridors. Tanzania's ongoing investment in port infrastructure, including the Dar es Salaam Marine Gateway and Bagamoyo Deep Sea Port, is expected to create additional opportunities for private-sector participation.
Prof Mkumbo emphasized that Tanzania and the Netherlands already have a strong foundation for deeper commercial ties, particularly in agricultural trade, agrologistics, ports, and logistics. He invited Dutch and European investors to come to Tanzania not only to trade but to invest in the country's development. The government is keen to turn its longstanding relationship with the Netherlands into concrete investments and commercial partnerships.
The Tanzania-EU Business Roadshow in The Hague, Netherlands, provided a platform for Prof Mkumbo to showcase the country's investment opportunities and potential for growth. With the right investments, Tanzania aims to drive economic growth, create jobs, and improve the livelihoods of its citizens. The country's investment opportunities in mining, agriculture, and logistics are expected to contribute significantly to its economic development.
Key points
- Tanzania invites Dutch investors to explore opportunities in mining, agriculture, and port logistics to drive value addition and strengthen regional trade.
- The country aims to transition from exporting raw minerals to promoting responsible mineral development, value addition, processing, manufacturing, and integration into global value chains.
- Tanzania and the Netherlands have a strong foundation for deeper commercial ties, particularly in agricultural trade, agrologistics, ports, and logistics.
