Livestock expo for Tanzania, Kenya and Namibia gets Sh300 million boost from NMB Bank

Dar es Salaam. NMB Bank Plc has committed Sh300 million over the next three years to support the Tri-Nations Livestock Expo, reinforcing efforts to expand Tanzania’s livestock economy through financing and strategic partnerships.

The annual regional exhibition, held in Coast Region, brings together stakeholders from Tanzania, Kenya and Namibia to promote trade, investment, financing and knowledge-sharing across the livestock value chain.

Speaking during the sponsorship signing ceremony at Mbogo Ranches in Chalinze, NMB Head of Agri Retail Nsolo Mlozi said the support aligns with the bank’s agribusiness strategy to widen access to finance, promote value addition and advance modern production systems.

"By 2025, NMB Bank had extended over Sh100 billion in livestock-related loans to support production, infrastructure development and access to improved breeds,” Mr Mlozi said.

“The sponsorship agreement we are signing today with Mbogo Ranches, the organiser and host of the expo, underscores our strategic commitment to modernising the livestock sector and improving the livelihoods of Tanzanians who depend on its value chain,” he said.

He said the bank had scaled up its investment in line with the growing importance of the Tri-Nations Livestock Expo.

This year’s event, scheduled for 19–21 June at Mbogo Ranches, will showcase advances in breeding, feeding, animal health and processing under the theme: Strengthening Regional Livestock Quality through Trade, Innovation and Partnership.

Mr Mlozi told the Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, Dr Fabian Madele, who attended the signing ceremony, that the expo also plays a vital role in strengthening cross-border trade linkages and regional collaboration.

“Developing this sector means supporting families and households, ensuring proper nutrition, creating jobs and boosting the national economy,” he said.

The government welcomed the growing partnership between NMB Bank and Mbogo Ranches, describing it as a catalyst for commercialising Tanzania’s livestock sector and accelerating its contribution to national economic growth.

In his remarks, Dr Madele said the collaboration demonstrates how strategic partnerships can unlock the sector’s untapped commercial potential.

He said that the partnership aligns with the vision of President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who has directed the ministry to fast-track major reforms in the livestock sector.

“When she recently swore us in, President Samia Suluhu Hassan ordered rapid and significant reforms in the livestock sector. We have taken that seriously, and what NMB and Mbogo Ranches are doing supports that vision. That is why the ministry pledges to support them throughout the three years of this agreement,” he said.

Dr Madele noted that NMB’s increase in sponsorship from Sh30 million in previous years to Sh300 million signals growing private-sector confidence in livestock as a viable commercial frontier.

“This is about transforming livestock into a modern, market-driven industry that supports farmers, traders, processors and financiers across the value chain,” he said.

Mbogo Ranches Director Naweed Bulla said the expo is being positioned as a regional marketplace linking Tanzanian livestock keepers to opportunities in Kenya, Namibia and other African markets, with additional countries expected to join future editions.

“Next year we will also have participants from Zimbabwe, Botswana and Zambia,” Mr Bulla said.

The three-day event will feature exhibitions, seminars on best farming practices and agribusiness financing, and a major livestock auction. Poultry farming will also be included, alongside the introduction of a ‘Queen of Agriculture’ contest for the first time.