MINISTER KAPINGA: INVESTMENT IN INDUSTRY, TRADE AND TECHNOLOGY TO CREATE MILLIONS OF JOBS FOR YOUTH





Dar es Salaam


The Minister for Industry and Trade, Hon. Judith Kapinga, has said that the Sixth Phase Government has put in place strong strategies to ensure that investment in industry, trade, technology and innovation creates vast employment opportunities for young people and strengthens the national economy.


Speaking today in Dar es Salaam during a press briefing, Minister Kapinga said the Government continues to improve the business start-up and operating environment, beginning with business registration and licensing through the Business Registrations and Licensing Agency (BRELA), to enable Tanzanians—especially youth—to formally participate in economic activities.


She explained that BRELA is undertaking reforms to its online registration and licensing systems to improve efficiency, address technical challenges and reduce bureaucracy. In addition, the Government has initiated reviews of various laws, including the Companies Act, to align them with technological and economic changes.


Minister Kapinga noted that the Government is also encouraging companies to regularly update their records in order to improve the business environment, while studies are being conducted to identify factors hindering compliance. She added that cooperation between BRELA, local government authorities and other institutions is being strengthened through system integration to simplify business monitoring and enhance transparency.


On post-establishment business support, Minister Kapinga said the Small Industries Development Organization (SIDO) has a nationwide presence and provides entrepreneurship training, business management skills and product processing support. SIDO also links entrepreneurs with the Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) to obtain quality certification marks free of charge. Furthermore, she said SIDO offers loans through the National Entrepreneurship Development Fund (NEDF) and the Credit Guarantee Scheme in collaboration with banks including CRDB, NMB and Azania, at affordable interest rates of up to 9 percent.


She elaborated that incubation programmes run by SIDO, TIRDO, TEMDO and the College of Business Education (CBE) continue to nurture young innovators and entrepreneurs until they are ready to enter the market, while the Government is preparing special capital financing programmes for graduates of these initiatives.


Regarding standards and product quality, Minister Kapinga said the Government is transforming TBS into a more facilitative institution for small and medium entrepreneurs by using digital systems that simplify quality certification applications and reduce service delivery time. She emphasized that these measures aim to prevent youth and start-up entrepreneurs from being discouraged by bureaucracy.


On combating counterfeit and substandard products, the Minister said the Government is increasing the use of electronic systems and strengthening oversight of digital markets and online trade, including cross-border e-commerce, to protect consumers and the national economy.


Speaking on the implementation of major strategic projects, Minister Kapinga said projects such as Mchuchuma and Liganga, Engaruka Soda Ash, Maganga Matitu and Katewaka are expected to create thousands of direct and indirect jobs for youth in mining, engineering, manufacturing, transport and trade sectors.


She added that investment in industrial parks continues to grow, with the country now hosting a total of 34 industrial parks. She cited Kwala Industrial Park and Modern Industrial Park–Mlandizi as examples of areas expected to generate tens of thousands of jobs and attract investments worth billions of shillings.


In another development, Minister Kapinga said e-commerce presents new opportunities for youth, noting that by 2024 a total of 1,820 companies had been registered to conduct online business. The Government is in the final stages of developing a National E-Commerce Strategy that will fully integrate youth participation.


She further stated that in 2025, Government institutions developed 17 new technologies and produced machines and spare parts distributed nationwide, a move that has supported the establishment of small industries and increased youth employment.


On financial services, Minister Kapinga said the Government, through NEDF, TADB and the Credit Guarantee Fund, has facilitated the provision of loans worth billions of shillings to entrepreneurs and industries at affordable interest rates, and pledged to continue strengthening the capacity of financial institutions to lend to youth.


She also stressed the importance of protecting local businesses, saying the Government has put in place legal boundaries to ensure certain businesses are reserved for Tanzanians only, in order to safeguard jobs, nurture youth talent and strengthen the domestic economy.


However, Minister Kapinga emphasized that the industry and trade sectors have opened new frontiers of opportunity in agribusiness, value addition industries, regional trade under AfCFTA, technology, innovation and e-commerce, underscoring that youth are the backbone of building an industrial, innovative and globally competitive Tanzania.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Muslim Hassanali Returns to Politics, Seeks CCM Nomination for Kinondoni Parliamentary Seat.

Image
Muslim Hassanali, who previously contested for the Ilala constituency parliamentary seat in 2015 under the opposition party CHADEMA, has resurfaced in the political arena—this time collecting a nomination form to run for Member of Parliament in Kinondoni under the ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM). Hassanali, who later officially joined CCM, now joins a growing list of party members who have declared their intentions and collected nomination forms to seek the party’s endorsement ahead of the upcoming general elections. The process of collecting and returning nomination forms within CCM officially began on June 28, 2025, and is expected to conclude by July 2, 2025. Hassanali’s move signals a potentially competitive race within the party as aspirants vie for various leadership positions.
Read more

EAC Countries Unite to Boost Cross-Border Agroecological Trade: Seven Key Resolutions Adopted in Jinja Conference

Image
By Our Reporter Participants of the Regional Conference on Enhancing Cross-Border Trade in Agroecological Produce within the East African Community (EAC) have issued seven resolutions aimed at boosting this crucial sector for the economies of member states. The week-long conference, held in Jinja, Uganda, brought together stakeholders from government, the private sector, farmers, researchers, and journalists from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, South Sudan, Burundi, and the DRC. Reading the conference resolutions, the General Coordinator of the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA), Dr. Million Belay, said that about 100 people met and discussed ways to collaborate and advance the vision of agroecological trade within the EAC. “We agreed that every stakeholder should fulfill their responsibilities to ensure accelerated regional economic growth through agroecology. We are calling on governments and all stakeholders to fully implement commitments to eliminate non-tariff ba...
Read more

*Government Launches 15274 Hotline to Ease Access to National ID Information

Image
Dar es Salaam: The Government has urged citizens to use their mobile phones by dialing *15274 to easily access information related to National Identification Cards (NIDA). Speaking today, December 29, 2025, the Minister for Home Affairs, George Simbachawene, said the service will enable citizens to check the status of their National ID cards, including whether the card has been produced or not, with feedback provided within five days. He explained that through this number, citizens will receive important information regarding their National IDs, adding that damaged ID cards are expected to be replaced starting February 2026. “By using this number, you will be able to get information on whether your ID card has been produced. I emphasize that damaged ID cards will be issued in February 2026,” said Minister Simbachawene. The Minister further noted that the Government has put in place a strategy to introduce the use of a single identification card for accessing various government services...
Read more