Tanzania’s GF Trucks & equipment clinches top honours at 2025 Sabasaba International Trade Fair
President of Zanzibar, Dr Hussein Mwinyi, listens to GF Managing Director, Mr Ali Karmali, during his visit to the company’s pavilion at the Sabasaba Trade Fair.
What you need to know:
- This year’s fair, which officially commenced on 28 June 2025, attracted participants from across the globe, including China, South Korea, Turkey, several European nations, and fellow African countries, bringing together a diverse mix of businesses and innovators.
Dar es Salaam. Managing Director of GF Trucks & Equipment Ltd, Mr Ali Karmali, has lauded the Tanzanian government’s conducive investment climate after the company emerged as the overall winner at the 2025 Sabasaba International Trade Fair, currently taking place in Dar es Salaam.
GF Trucks & Equipment secured the top accolade through its state-of-the-art vehicle assembly plant, GF Vehicle Assemblers (GFA), located in Kibaha, Coast Region.
The plant specialises in assembling large commercial vehicles and has played a pivotal role in the company’s rapid growth and visibility within the region.
This year’s fair, which officially commenced on 28 June 2025, attracted participants from across the globe, including China, South Korea, Turkey, several European nations, and fellow African countries, bringing together a diverse mix of businesses and innovators.
President of Zanzibar, Dr Hussein Mwinyi, served as the guest of honour at the exhibition. During his tour of the trade pavilions, he visited GF’s booth where he viewed a wide range of vehicles and heavy machinery on display, including Hyundai and Mahindra small vehicles, FAW trucks, and XCMG construction and mining equipment.
Dr Mwinyi also observed demonstrations of the initial vehicle assembly processes conducted at the GFA plant. Impressed by the scale and ambition of GF’s operations, he congratulated the company for its exceptional performance and encouraged its leadership to expand further—inviting them to explore investment opportunities in Zanzibar.
In his remarks following the award ceremony, Mr Karmali expressed pride in the company’s journey, stating:
“We are honoured to be recognised as pioneers in Tanzania’s automotive sector. As the first company to establish a vehicle assembly plant in the country, this achievement reflects the supportive environment created by the government for investors.”
He revealed that the GFA plant is currently in its third phase of expansion, a move that is expected to create over 3,000 new jobs for Tanzanians.
“This award belongs to our workers,” he added. “Without their dedication, none of this would have been possible.”
GF Trucks & Equipment is a leading distributor of commercial vehicles and machinery, including FAW trucks, XCMG construction and mining equipment, Hyundai vehicles, and various road construction machines.
The company’s success at Sabasaba 2025 stands as a testament to Tanzania’s growing industrial capacity and the vital role of private sector players in driving economic transformation.
