By Special Correspondent
Dar es Salaam – October 23, 2025: The merged roles of the defunct Tanzania Investment Centre (TIC) and Export Processing Zones Authority (EPZA) into newly formed Tanzania Investment and Special Economic Zones Authority (TISEZA) aims at reducing red tape in the country’s investments facilitation drive through a One Stop Facilitation Centre (OSFC), Gilead Teri, the authority’s Director-General has explained.
TISEZA, a government institution under the President’s Office-Planning and Investment has been established under the Investment and Special Economic Zones Act No. 6 of 2025 to coordinate, promote, encourage, and facilitate investment in the country, mainly to simplify project registration, issuance of incentive certificates, and provision of Export Processing Zones (EPZ) as well as Special Economic Zones (SEZ) licenses.
Mr. Teri is using that opportunity to call upon Tanzanians to take full advantage of the vast economic opportunities available across the country which is now ten times easier for locals to invest than ever before. In fact, according to Mr. Teri, the improved investment climate follows the enactment of the new Investment Act, 2022, by the government under President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
Under the new law, the government has slashed the minimum capital requirement for local investors to TShs. 125 million down from the previous amount of US$100,000 (over Tshs. 248 million). The new requirement is ten times lower than the Tshs. 1.25 billion required for foreign investors.
Nevertheless, Mr. Teri acknowledged various incentives that are in place for local investors, including access to free land for projects, as the country has about 30,000 hectares earmarked for investment across all regions. “Today, a Tanzanian can fill out a three-page form and get registered as an investor for the same business that a foreigner would need to present a detailed business plan and bank statements to prove financial capability. It is that easy,” Mr. Teri stressed.
“The authority strives to be a leading investment destination in Africa by 2030 and the strongest economy in East and Central Africa, with Tanzanians holding over 50 per cent of investments through provision of a world-class, investor-friendly environment ,” Mr. Teri said as he briefed journalists and editors from the media fraternity in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday.
TISEZA’s roles includes acting as a “One-Stop Facilitation Centre through which it provides a single entry point for investors to get most permits, licenses, and approvals. This centralisation aims at saving time and effort, making it easier for businesses to set up and operate.
By centralizing its functions, TISEZA seeks to attract more Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and Domestic Direct Investment (DDI), which will create jobs and accelerate Tanzania’s overall economic and industrial development as well as actively promoting investment in priority sectors, particularly within its Special Economic Zones, to boost exports, foster industrialization, and increase government revenue.
“The authority is mandated to identify, designate, and manage SEZs to attract targeted, strategic investments by offering incentives like tax exemptions and duty-free imports,” he asserts, adding that beyond initial setup, TISEZA offers ‘aftercare’ services to help investors navigate regulatory frameworks, address concerns, and resolve disputes, ensuring continued project success.
To address a common challenge for investors, TISEZA is creating a centralized database of land designated for investment. This simplifies the process of finding suitable plots for businesses. Above all, the authority is establishing a unified electronic platform to digitize and centralize all government investment services, improving transparency and allowing investors to track applications online.
“With the aforesaid objectives, in line with the government’s broader economic vision, TISEZA aims to advance the goals set out in Tanzania’s Development Vision 2050, which seeks to transform Tanzania into an upper-middle-income country with a high-quality, industrialized economy,” he acknowledged.
Mr. Teri said TISEZA intends to register 1,500 projects worth US$15 billion by June 2026, expressing optimism with the ambitious targets, saying the country has successfully emerged as the leading trading partner with almost all East Africa’s countries including Kenya, the Democratic Republic Congo (DRC) and Uganda.
The Director-General further acknowledged that the authority will soon establish an Export Processing Centre responsible for connecting domestic investors with sources of raw materials, required sophisticated machines and overseas markets in order to elevate both local investments and exports.
“Indeed, robust exports will create more jobs for Tanzanians, allow domestic investors to enjoy lucrative prices in the international markets while generating foreign currencies and the government’s revenues.
TISEZA’s Acting Director of Investment Promotion, Mr George Mukono said TISEZA through its Special Economic Zones (SEZs) has listed priority sectors for investment including textile, pharmaceuticals, furniture, car assembling, agro-processing and manufacturing of fast-moving consumer goods as basis for supporting implementation of the upcoming National Development Vision of 2050 in which Tanzania envisions to attain a trillion-dollar economy.
The investment authority recently lunched five SEZs namely Buzwagi SEZ in Shinyanga spanning 1,333 hectares, Bagamoyo Eco Maritime City SEZ (151 hectares), Kwala SEZ in Coast Region (40.5 hectares), Nala SEZ in Dodoma (607 hectares) and expanding the existing Benjamin William Mkapa SEZ in Dar es Salaam with over 13,000 square metres.
All five SEZs are strategically connected to ready-built infrastructure including power supply, water, roads, telecommunications, dry ports like Isaka in Shinyanga and Kwala in Coast Region as well as the Dar es Salaam Port. The newly designated zones are aimed at boosting the manufacturing and trade of value-added products, improving citizens’ livelihoods and accelerating the country’s GDP growth.
Launching the National Promotion Campaign on Special Economic Zones in Dar es Salaam recently , Minister of State in the President’s Office (Planning and Investment), Professor Kitila Mkumbo, said the initiative is aligned with the upcoming National Development Vision 2050 (DIRA 2050), which seeks to transform Tanzania into a trillion-dollar economy anchored in manufacturing among other key sectors.
“Our vision is for every region to benefit from industrial growth and contribute to the national GDP. This aligns with our broader ambition to make Tanzania the industrial hub of Africa by leveraging our strategic location, fertile land, abundant natural resources and access to raw materials,” Prof Mkumbo was quoted as saying. To reach the trillion-dollar economy milestone, Tanzania’s GDP growth rate must increase to 8 to 10 per cent by 2050, up from the current 5.5 per cent, he noted.
The minister added that the SEZs will prioritise employment-intensive projects, promote value addition, foster sectoral linkages and attract both domestic investment and joint ventures, which are critical for sustainable revenue generation. “Investments in value addition will strengthen Tanzania’s position in international markets by focusing on exporting processed products,” Prof Mkumbo said.
