Author: Padili Mikomangwa

• Tanzania is using Sabasaba trade expo to foster the country’s industrial might.
• This year, over 180 foreign companies including some from China took part in the exhibition.
• Overall, Tanzania’s trade with the outside world is marked by export of minerals and agricultural produce.

Across Tanzania, no exhibition can outmatch the Sabasaba trade expo, a platform that the East African country is using every year to showcase investment potential.

“Sabasaba” which translates to “seventh day” in Swahili, denotes Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair (DITF) tradition of going down during the first week of July, typically starting on the 7th of the month. The expo serves as a platform for local and international businesses to showcase their products and services, fostering trade and economic development in the region.

Sabasaba trade expo promoting industries

It attracts a diverse range of exhibitors and visitors from various industries, including agriculture, manufacturing, technology, tourism, and …

Despite enormous opportunities, Africa’s supply chains remain inadequate in supporting regional economies. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the vulnerability of existing African supply chains, sending shock waves across markets. With proper optimization, Africa’s supply chains hold transformative economic potential for the continent.…

• Corruption, inadequate mining laws, and crackdowns on artisanal gold miners are fueling trade in conflict minerals.
• Cut-throat competition for control of the profitable mineral is to blame for killings and exploitation of people.
• Armed groups in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger are terrorizing gold-mining communities by levying taxes in the pretext of offering protection.

West Africa is becoming a hub for the trafficking of conflict minerals partly because of rampant corruption, inadequate mining laws, and ongoing crackdowns on artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) operations.

Conflict minerals, which are mostly linked to gold rush, are fanning instability in political, economic, environmental, social, and security spheres of populations in West Africa.

Conflicts in mining zones are on the rise in gold-rich Mali and Burkina Faso and parts of Chad. This as competition for control of the profitable mineral fuels killings and exploitation of poor populations.

Gold mining has been a significant …

• Tanzania will start purchasing gold through the Bank of Tanzania (BoT) with a view to establishing a National Gold Reserve.
• This initiative will significantly drive gold mining activities across the nation.
• Tanzania exports gold mainly to South Africa, India, and Switzerland

A plan to re-stablish Tanzania’s gold reserves is promising to hand a lifeline to thousands of small-scale gold miners in Tanzania’s mining industry.

Tanzania has several significant gold mining projects and operations, offering job opportunities to thousands of people. At the moment, Tanzania is one of the top producers of gold across Africa. Consider the Mwakitolwo gold mine in Shinyanga, which employs over 10,000 people despite using an artisanal approach.

Mines to build Tanzania gold reserves

Numerous large-scale gold mines are present in Tanzania and are run by both local and international mining firms. Some of the leading gold mines are Geita Gold, Bulyanhulu, North Mara and Golden Pride.…

• Ongoing wars in Africa are bleeding billions from poor economies as investors flee the region.
• Sudan army is spending about $1.5 million per day fighting the Rapid Support Forces.
• IMF says Ethiopia’s GDP contracted from 9 percent in 2019 to 6.1 percent in 2020 as Tigray war intensified.

Wars in Africa are costing an arm and a leg, and throwing an awful wrench on poor economies that are hardly providing the bare minimum to their citizens. Take for instance the latest ongoing war in Sudan. Sudan Tribune notes that it is costing roughly $1.5 million every day for the Sudanese army to fight the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

For Sudan, a country whose poverty rate rose from 64.6 percent in 2021 to 66.1 percent last year, $1.5 million is a huge sum of money to be wasted on senseless fighting.

Wars in Africa yielding economic crisis

Sudan is one of …

• Airlines across Africa are expected to fly into a combined $500 million loss this year. The loss is, however, an improvement from the combined $800 million loss suffered in 2022.
• African airlines have to navigate several economic, infrastructure, and connectivity challenges.
• Data shows Egypt, Morocco, and Ethiopia carriers have seen an increase in traveler numbers in March 2023.

African airlines are expected to fly into a combined $500 million loss this year. The projected loss is, however, a significant improvement from the $800 million combined loss sustained last year.

According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Africa remains a difficult market for airlines.

African Airlines smarting from pandemic

Companies have to navigate several economic, infrastructure, and connectivity challenges. These hurdles continue to significantly impact the industry, which is still smarting from the Covid-19 economic fallout.

Last year was a rough period for African airlines in the skies. …

• Several gas finds in East Africa dating decades have suffered long delays from the time they were “found”.
• Lengthy negotiations and insecurity have marred the projects, delaying a final investment decision on their development.
• Mozambique is already fighting Islamic insurgents in its gas-rich northern province, Cabo Delgado.

Economies across East Africa are losing billions of dollars in revenue every year because of key gas project delays in approving and developing liquefied natural gas investments, an analysis by The Exchange Africa reveals.

Several gas discoveries in East Africa dating decades, which were expected to power the region’s natural gas industry have suffered long delays from the time they were “found”. Lengthy negotiations, and insecurity have marred the projects, delaying a final investment decision (FID) on their development.

Mozambique’s gas finds

Take Mozambique, a regional economy of $41 billion GDP, for example. Mozambique reported huge gas finds in the 2010s. Industry …

• The bulk of Tanzania’s population is not under any form of cover with industry statistics putting penetration at 1.68 percent.
• Gross premiums hit $486 million last year from $388 million in 2021, the Association of Tanzania Insurers (ATI) says.
• As of May 2023, a total of 34 insurers including three reinsurance companies had presence in Tanzania.

Insurance saves lives. This was how Sicola Enock, a mother summarised Tanzanian’s Community Health Fund (CHF), a social welfare cover that was introduced in 2001 to help families in rural areas.

“When my husband got sick, we incurred many consultation fees before treatment. But, when we acquired the CHF, things changed. Now the health insurance serves more than ten family members,” Sicola added.

Sicola is part of about 15 percent of Tanzania’s population now covered CHF health insurance.

However, the bulk of Tanzania’s population is not under any form of cover. Latest figures show …

• Energy multinationals Shell, Equinor, and ExxonMobil have finalised vital talks on Tanzania’s $40 billion Liquified Natural Gas investment.

• The move paves the way for final agreement on how to execute the long-delayed energy project that will significantly boost Tanzania’s revenues and create jobs.

• President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s government expects the construction of the project to start in June 2025.

Tanzania is preparing the final deal to guide harnessing her $40 billion offshore gas reserves following the conclusion of talks with energy giants Shell, Equinor, and ExxonMobil. A final agreement on the $40 billion gas investment is in the works with signing expected in the coming weeks.

“The work is done… companies (IOCs) have gone to sit with their boards, and we are now awaiting the next steps. The government expects construction to start in June 2025” Managing Director of the Petroleum Upstream Regulatory Authority (PURA), Charles Sangweni, said the project’s …

• Tanzania is planning to attract over 2000 local and international investors to explore the vast opportunities in her mining industry.
• The October 25 to 26th forum will help unleash strategies to execute better projects, finances, and investments.
• By 2025, the government of Tanzania projects that the mining sector will account for 10 percent of her GDP. 

Over 2000 local and international investors are set to meet in an international conference in Dar es Salaam to explore innovative ways to unlock the full potential of Tanzania’s mining industry. The international conference, which will be held on October 25 and 26, will be hosted by the government in Dar Es Salaam in collaboration with the private sector via DMG Events

“Tanzania miners can’t work in isolation. We need to work with the world; hence you are welcome,” Dr Doto Mashaka Biteko, Minister for Minerals said at the Tanzania Mining and Investment Forum …