DAR ES SALAAM: THE government has unveiled an ambitious industrial development programme targeting the establishment, revival and expansion of 9,048 industries nationwide, aimed at creating six million jobs within six years, with young people set to be the main beneficiaries.
Speaking to the media yesterday, the Minister for Industry and Trade, Ms Judith Kapinga, said the programme is a central pillar of the government’s industrialisation agenda and will be implemented through the construction of industrial parks in all regions of Mainland Tanzania, guided by the specific economic opportunities available in each area.
She said the initiative is expected to stimulate investment across the industrial and commercial sectors, while significantly expanding employment opportunities, particularly for young people who form the largest share of the country’s workforce.
“The programme offers a major opportunity for young people to participate fully across the entire value chain, from production and processing to innovation, marketing and distribution,” Ms Kapinga said.
She noted that rapid technological advancement has reshaped the business landscape, leading to the emergence and growth of online businesses across the country.
By 2024, a total of 1,820 companies had been registered with ecommerce as their core activity, reflecting a growing shift towards digital trade.
In response to this trend, the minister said the government is taking decisive steps to establish a strong framework to regulate and promote online trade, revealing that a National E-Commerce Strategy is currently being prepared.
“Online trade presents a significant opportunity for young people, and the strategy we are developing will deliberately provide a dedicated space for youth participation in this sector,” she said.
Ms Kapinga said the government recognises the strength, creativity and innovation of young people as critical drivers of national development and will continue investing in infrastructure, skills training and resources to make online entrepreneurship more accessible.
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“We will ensure secure payment systems, wider market access and professional support. Technology and equipment will be brought closer to the people so that every young person can turn their ideas into viable businesses,” she said, adding that innovation challenges and incentive-based initiatives will be promoted to make online trade both attractive and profitable.
Turning to industrial technology and innovation, the minister said institutions under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, including the Small Industries Development Organisation (SIDO), the Centre for Agricultural Mechanisation and Rural Technology (CAMARTEC), the Tanzania Industrial Research and Development Organisation (TIRDO) and the Tanzania Engineering and Manufacturing Design Organisation (TEMDO), developed 17 new technologies in 2025.
She said the technologies focus largely on agricultural processing and value addition, including food processing, sunflower oil refining, avocado value addition and cashew nut processing.
Other innovations, she added, target alternative energy solutions, including environmentally friendly charcoal produced from rice husks, paper waste and coal residues, as well as biogas technologies for household electricity generation and clean cooking systems.
Ms Kapinga said the government has also manufactured 463 machines and 3,028 spare parts, which have been distributed across the country to support production and processing activities.
The machines are used for sunflower oil extraction, brick making, palm harvesting, alternative charcoal production, waste processing, animal feed processing and maize shelling, among other functions.
“These interventions have significantly supported the establishment of small-scale industries and have contributed greatly to increased employment for young people.
Our goal now is to expand this impact and we are committed to doing so,” she said. On access to finance, the minister said the National Economic Development Fund (NEDF) has facilitated 841 loans worth 2.4bn/- to entrepreneurs.
In addition, she said the Tanzania Agricultural Development Bank (TADB) has issued loans amounting to 54.24bn/- to agro-processing industries, while the Credit Guarantee Scheme has provided 11.96bn/- to 26 industries.
She said these financing facilities attract concessional interest rates below market levels, averaging about nine per cent. Commercial banks, including NMB and CRDB, are also offering affordable loans to entrepreneurs at interest rates of up to nine per cent.
Ms Kapinga further said the government, through the Bank of Tanzania, is providing refinancing at interest rates of up to three per cent to banks that extend loans to farmers and entrepreneurs at annual rates below ten per cent.
She said the government will continue strengthening the capacity of financial institutions to expand access to affordable credit for young people seeking to establish small industries, engage in productive enterprises and invest in technological innovation.
Through the programme, she said, the government aims to accelerate industrial growth, expand decent employment and build a resilient, inclusive economy driven by youth participation, innovation and value-added production.