Government lines up state firms for DSE listing as TCB process advances

Dar es Salaam. The government is lining up several public institutions for potential listing on the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange (DSE), with preparations for Tanzania Commercial Bank (TCB) already at an advanced stage.

The planned listings form part of wider government efforts to turn state-owned assets into productive investments, attract private capital and give Tanzanians and other investors an opportunity to participate in the ownership of public enterprises.

Acting Treasury Registrar Lightnes Mauki said the Office of the Treasury Registrar (OTR) had assessed public corporations and institutions to identify those that could qualify for listing in the short, medium and long term.

She said the assessment considered the financial strength and other requirements that institutions must meet before embarking on the listing process.

“We grouped our public corporations into different categories to identify those ready in the short, medium and long term. TCB is already in the short-term category, and what remains is completion of the government’s internal procedures before moving to the next stage,” Ms Mauki said during a meeting with editors and reporters.

She also outlined reforms being undertaken by the OTR to improve returns from government investments and strengthen public institutions.

Ms Mauki did not disclose the other institutions being considered for listing, but said the government would continue informing the public as the respective processes reached more advanced stages.

The planned listings could give State-owned enterprises access to additional capital for expansion while widening public and institutional participation in their ownership.

They could also deepen Tanzania’s capital market by increasing the number of companies available for investment on the DSE.

The TCB process comes as the OTR seeks to increase returns from government assets while reducing reliance on public financing.

For the 2026/27 financial year, the office has set a Sh2 trillion target for non-tax revenue collection, above the Sh1.79 trillion target assigned to it by the government, the office said.

Ms Mauki said the target was part of efforts to strengthen the ability of public institutions to generate revenue and become more financially sustainable.

She said the reforms were not focused solely on collecting revenue but also on ensuring public institutions operated efficiently and increased the value generated from government assets and investments.

“The focus is now on ensuring that government assets become investments that generate productivity, returns and measurable results rather than simply being owned and preserved,” said the Director of Non-Commercial Public Institutions at the Treasury Registrar’s Office, Mr David Shambwe.

According to official data, the value of government investments under the Treasury Registrar increased by 37.7 percent, from Sh67.73 trillion in 2020/21 to Sh92.28 trillion in 2024/25.

Mr Shambwe said the increase had heightened the responsibility to ensure state assets were used to generate economic value rather than being held for ownership purposes alone.

“The increase in the value of government investments also increases our responsibility to ensure that these assets generate value and contribute to economic development,” he said.

The government is also increasing its stakes in companies it considers strategic.

Ms Mauki cited Nyanzaga, where government ownership has increased from 16 percent to 20 percent, and ICCL Inflight Catering Services, where its stake has risen from 29 percent to 40 percent.

The OTR is also using digital systems to improve oversight of public institutions and Government investments.

Ms Mauki said the Public Institutions Management System (PIMS) had been linked with national platforms, including the Government e-Payment Gateway (GePG), the Government Human Resources and Payroll System (MUSE) and the Electronic Records Management System (ERMS).

She said the integration has enabled information on revenue and institutional management to be accessed through a centralised system, improving monitoring, transparency and efficiency while reducing reliance on manual processes.

Meanwhile, the Director of Finance and Accounts at the OTR, Mr Hassan Mohamed, said Tanzania would need to identify new sources of financing over the next 25 years to support investment and growth in productive sectors.

He said public institutions and State-owned companies would have an increasingly important role in boosting domestic revenue and improving the productivity of Government investments.