Author: Giza Mdoe

Tanzania has assumed the chairmanship of regional labour committee from Uganda. Kampala has been praised for expanding regional labour migration facilities. IOM supports labour migration across the EAC and in the Arab peninsula. EAC labour migration laws may change as Tanzania assumes the new chair for the Regional Technical Advisory Committee on Labour Mobility for East Africa. Tanzania has taken over the chairmanship from Uganda and is expected to strengthen regional cooperation in managing labour migration across the East African bloc and beyond. The handover ceremony was conducted in Tanzania’s capital Dodoma recently in a ceremony attended by Permanent Secretaries and…

Saudi Arabia commits to increased trade with Tanzania. Already the oil-rich nation has entered into an agreement to set up a meat processing plant in the East African nation. Tanzania exports over USD 36 million worth of goods to Saudi Arabia annually. Tanzania is looking to secure more than 500 million US dollars worth of investments from Saudi Arabia as Jeddah mulls setting up export production hub in the East African country. To this end, a two-day Tanzania-Saudi Arabia Business Forum was held recently in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania to deliberate potential investment areas across various sectors. The forum brought…

Tanzania is rolling out new laws aimed at attracting investors in digital/tech markets. Government reassures stakeholders of ‘favourable investment laws’. AI and digital infrastructure are now the new investment frontiers. Tanzania has passed legal reforms aimed at attracting digital investments in the country by among others revamping its digital financial transactions regime, electronic commerce, company operations and public-private partnerships (PPPs). These changes are also intended to provide greater regulatory certainty for businesses and help rejuvenate investment in the larger tech sector. According to the Tanzania Constitution and Legal Affairs Minister Juma Homera; “The government of Tanzania is reshaping its investment…

Tanzania organic cotton gaining global market interest. Growing call for ethical sourcing is boosting demand for Tanzani cotton. Tanzania is looking to increase cotton output by five-fold.  The Tanzania Cotton Board (TCB) is looking to raise average cotton production from current 200 to 1,000 kilogrammes per acre in the coming months to meet growing global demand. At the moment, Tanzania’s cotton output for the 2025/26 season is forecast to enjoy a 48% rebound to an estimated 222,057 tonnes. According to the Tanzania Cotton Board (TCB), the country is the largest organic cotton producer in Africa.  The country is now seeking…

Banks across Africa investing heavily in AI. Private sector required to increase digital innovation Cyber security market growing rapidly. Banks in Africa are moving beyond basic digital transformation and choosing all out automation, investing millions of dollars in AI technology. According to disclosurers, Absa Bank Kenya has injected USD31 million in technology investment to automate 71% of its processes shifting nearly all customer transactions to digital channels. According to the bank, 94 percent of its customer transactions are now completed through digital and alternative channels. In its latest  sustainability report  the bank says fit is using automation, cloud infrastructure and artificial intelligence…

As Tanzania and Egypt double down on pan-African dreams, a stubborn $24.1 million deficit raises an uncomfortable question: Is this a genuine strategic partnership, or simply a one-way street disguised as unity? Tanzania and Egypt have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening their strategic partnership, with renewed focus on advancing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and efforts to build a peaceful, united and prosperous Africa. While Tanzania’s Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Dr. Ngwaru Maghembe, maintains that trade between the two countries are mutually beneficial and that Tanzania remains committed…

Nigeria oil output hit a six year high in June. Government credits increased oil output to efficiency and pipeline security. South Africa announces mandatory oil reserves. Nigeria’s crude oil output has exceeded its OPEC quota climbing to its highest level in more than six years. According to authorities, the country higher oil production is attributable to improved pipeline reliability and efficient operations. According to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Nigeria pumped 1.56 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil in June, the largest average monthly production volume since April 2020. “Total crude oil production rose for the fourth…

Digital development is attracting new Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to Africa. This as overall FDI into Africa is on the decline according to data from UNCTAD. African governments bet on digital infrastructure to attract FDI. Africa’s digital frontier is attracting new foreign investment even though overall Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has taken a dip. Digital start ups, especially mobile money ventures are the leading private sector investment while governments shoulder larger ventures like deployment of space technologies. Notably, while Foreign Direct Investment has declined, but not so in digital infrastructure and fintech startups segments, the UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) notes…

Zanzibar legislators project 7.5% economic growth.  President Mwinyi advocates private sector participation. Zanzibar recent talks with Brazil, US expected to bare fruits. Zanzibar has set it’s economic growth target for the financial year 2026/27 on tourism expansion, Finance and Planning Minister Dr. Juma Malik Akili has said. The island projects new arrivals to increase by 9.3 percent and to surpassing one million visitors. According to the minister, the spice islands expect overall stronger economic growth in 2026 based on the positive performance reported in the just ended financial year 2025/26. Speaking to press at the start of the week, Dr. Akili commended…

UAE has cemented its spot as the main refining, and export terminal for DRC gold. Statistics show that while Rwanda gold exports skyrocket, DRC South Kivu, a mineral rich zone is fast going dark.  To counter illicit mineral export flows, DRC has launched domestic refining. The freewheeling city of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is allegedly the main trade terminal for ‘dirty gold and blood diamonds’ extracted from the jungles of the mineral rich Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). “DRC mined gold and diamonds (mined in rebel controlled areas) are flowing through UAE trading networks, with Russia’s Africa…