Foreigners barred from key small businesses as Tanzania enforces strict new rules

Dar es Salaam. The government has officially banned foreign nationals from engaging in a wide range of small and medium-sized business activities, signalling a major shift in Tanzania’s licensing regime and domestic economic policy.

The move, announced through Government Notice No. 487A dated July 28, 2025, aims to reserve key economic spaces for Tanzanian citizens in an effort to empower local entrepreneurs and protect national interests.