GOVERNMENT OPENS SENGEREMA 1.2 TRILLION MINE TO START OPERATION

THE GOVERNMENT has said it will continue to strengthen the enabling environment for business and investment in the country to stimulate economic growth, while announcing strategic measures to resolve tax challenges facing large investors for the benefit of the nation.

The promise was made in Dodoma by the Minister of Finance, Hon. Ambassador Khamis Mussa Omar, when he met with the leadership of the Nyanzaga Gold Mining Company Ltd, which is building a large mine in Sengerema district, Mwanza region.

The Nyanzaga project, which is expected to cost more than US$523 million (approximately 1.2 trillion shillings), is said to be the largest mining project to be built in Tanzania in the past 18 years since the construction of the Buzwagi mine.

Ambassador Omar noted that the Government is committed to ensuring that the tax exemption challenge presented by the mine management is fully addressed by the end of February, 2026, in collaboration with all sector stakeholders.

"I have met with the Nyanzaga leadership and we have discussed tax challenges. I have promised them that by the end of February we will have found solutions. We want this project to be successful because it will contribute significantly to the country's taxes and boost the economy of the people," said Ambassador Omar.

For his part, the Local Executive Manager of the project, Mr. Isaac Lupokela, said the mine expects to begin production in the first quarter of the 2026/2027 financial year and that to date, its construction has provided employment for 2,000 people, 80 percent of whom are locals.

TNCC AND TRADE REFORMS

As the Government deals with major investments, the Tanzania National Chamber of Commerce (TNCC) has begun an internal working session in Dodoma to improve its performance to ensure that small and medium-sized businesses receive strong representation and resolution of their concerns.

Opening the session, TNCC President, Vicent Minja, said the chamber is setting itself up to be a strong bridge between business people and government authorities such as the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) and the Tanzania Special Economic Zones Authority (EPZA/TISEZA) to reduce tax and policy conflicts.

"Everything we improve within TNCC is aimed at making it easier for business people to work in the business environment. We want to ensure that tax policies and systems are well understood and used as a catalyst for growth rather than an obstacle," said Minja.

TNCC Business Development Manager, Mercy Philipo, added that the institution is reviewing its digital systems and services to ensure it is closer to business people across the country, providing accurate information on investment opportunities in a timely manner.

CREATIVITY AGAINST OBSCUATION

Economic analysts have said that these steps by the Government and the private sector are a sufficient response to young people seeking economic opportunities. Instead of wasting time on online jokes, the construction of mines like Nyanzaga and the improvement of business systems through TNCC are creating a formal path to employment and entrepreneurship for those with skills and the desire to work.

This strategic partnership between the Ministry of Finance, foreign investors, and the Chamber of Commerce demonstrates that Tanzania's enabling environment has now reached a level of attracting large capital investments and providing secure jobs for Tanzanians.