According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the 2022 Population and Housing Census shows that about 76 percent of Tanzanians are under the age of 35, underscoring the importance of integrating young people into productive sectors of the economy.
Dar es Salaam. At least 100,000 young entrepreneurs are expected to benefit from a new sourcing and export initiative aimed at connecting youth-led businesses in Tanzania to regional and global markets by 2030.
The programme, launched at the Benjamin William Mkapa Special Economic Zone, includes the establishment of a Sourcing and Export Centre alongside a training programme designed to equip young entrepreneurs with practical skills in business management, production and international trade.
Speaking during the launch on Saturday, March 14, 2026, the Minister of State in the President’s Office – Planning and Investment, Prof Kitila Mkumbo, said the initiative supports the country’s long-term development agenda by strengthening the role of the private sector in economic growth.
He noted that the country’s Tanzania Development Vision 2050 and the Fourth Five-Year Development Plan (FYDP IV) prioritise expanding private sector investment and boosting domestic production to enable Tanzanian goods to compete in international markets.
“The government’s strategy is to leverage the country’s geographical advantage and transform local production sectors so that Tanzanian products can compete in regional and international markets,” Prof Mkumbo said.
He stressed that micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), particularly those led by young people, must become part of global supply chains if Tanzania is to achieve sustainable economic transformation.
The new centre is expected to support that goal by offering integrated services that simplify sourcing of production inputs and export processes. Entrepreneurs will be able to access services such as business and investment training, assistance in accessing capital and modern production equipment, and linkages with international technology suppliers.
The facility will also provide supplier verification, coordinate logistics and shipping, simplify export procedures and offer post-investment advisory services.
“These services will help reduce production costs, improve efficiency and enable local businesses to access regional and global markets,” Prof Mkumbo said.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the 2022 Population and Housing Census shows that about 76 percent of Tanzanians are under the age of 35, underscoring the importance of integrating young people into productive sectors of the economy.
Under the pilot phase, between 30 and 50 young entrepreneurs will undergo an intensive eight-week training programme divided into three stages: entrepreneurship and industrial business training; production and domestic and international market strategies; and participation in shared industrial production systems through clusters.
The initial focus will be on value-added agricultural products such as dried fruits—including mangoes, pineapples and bananas—dried vegetables, spices and simple processed foods.
For his part, Director General of the Tanzania Investment and Special Economic Zones Authority (Tiseza), Gilead Teri, said the training model will be unique because it directly links participants with industrial production processes.
He explained that trainees will take part in real production activities while undergoing training to ensure the programme creates sustainable businesses and long-term employment.
“The first phase will be implemented here in Mabibo. We will begin with processing agricultural products, particularly dried and value-added products, and later expand depending on market demand,” he said.
Mr Teri added that the initiative is designed not only to attract investment but also to ensure young entrepreneurs produce goods that meet international standards.
“The core principle of this programme is that training must go hand in hand with real industrial production. That is why it has been integrated with the infrastructure of the Special Economic Zones,” he said.
