Arusha. The Government has urged the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST) to intensify its focus on practical, innovation-driven and entrepreneurship-oriented training to ensure graduates are equipped to create jobs, employ others and address the persistent challenge of youth unemployment.
Prime Minister Mwigulu Nchemba made the remarks on February 22, 2026, during the foundation stone-laying ceremony for a new student hostel at NM-AIST.
According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, over 41 per cent of graduates in Tanzania fail to secure formal employment, with approximately 850,000 to 950,000 young people entering the labour market every year.
Dr Nchemba emphasised that technology is the key differentiator between developed and developing nations, adding that sustainable development depends on investment in science and innovation that solve real-world challenges.
“To distinguish developed nations from poorer ones, you need technology, especially technologies that address practical problems. That is why the Government has invested in science and supports emerging start-ups,” he said.
He said NM-AIST should become a hub of academic excellence, cutting-edge research and technological innovation, capable of tackling today’s global challenges.
Producing highly skilled professionals, he said, is central to implementing Tanzania’s National Development Vision 2050 and the country’s sustainable development agenda.
“As we enter a highly competitive world, we must prepare individuals ready to compete. This cannot happen without strong institutions producing experts proficient in science and technology,” Dr Nchemba said.
He further instructed the institution’s leadership, in collaboration with relevant ministries, to ensure optimal use of ICT, modern teaching and learning systems, and effective resource management to make the campus sustainable and globally competitive.
The Prime Minister said the Government has significantly increased funding for higher and tertiary education.
The budget of the Higher Education Students' Loans Board has grown from Sh464 billion to Sh816.7 billion over the past two years, expanding opportunities for students from low-income families.
Beneficiaries have increased from 177,925 to 252,773, with funding prioritising disciplines critical to national economic development.
Previously, loans focused mainly on university education, leaving mid-level college students with limited support despite their essential role in producing technical professionals.
The Government is now extending support to these students and planning tuition-free programmes for selected mid-level courses based on national priorities.
“These investments are building a generation of Tanzanians with the knowledge, skills and values necessary to implement the National Development Vision 2050,” the Prime Minister said.
Maimuna Tarish, chairperson of NM-AIST’s Governing Board, said the new three-storey hostel is part of a strategic plan to expand accommodation from 279 to 459 students.
It will feature 184 rooms, including 160 self-contained units and 20 apartment-style units for female students with children or special needs.
She said the apartments include two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen and bathroom facilities.
She said the Sh7.9 billion project is 81 per cent complete, with three blocks nearing completion and two at the roofing stage, and is expected to be finalised by June 30, 2025.
Tarish said the hostel will enhance participation of female students with children or special needs in science, engineering and technology programmes.
“This facility will provide a safe and conducive learning environment, reduce commuting time and allow students to fully utilise libraries, laboratories and other academic services,” she said.
Minister Adolf Mkenda described NM-AIST as a unique institution established and jointly owned by African countries to attract top science and technology students and renowned lecturers from across Africa and beyond.
Vice Chancellor Omary Issa called on the Government to continue supporting the institution’s infrastructure and technology commercialisation systems, ensuring that student innovations evolve into competitive start-ups and positioning NM-AIST as a leading innovation hub in Africa.
