Njombe campus will focus on programmes in Business, Agriculture, and Science and is part of a broader national strategy to expand access to higher education in underserved regions.
Dar es Salaam. The University of Dodoma (UDOM) is intensifying the construction of its Sh18 billion Njombe campus, a project expected to enhance educational and economic opportunities for residents of the Southern Highlands.
This campus will focus on programmes in Business, Agriculture, and Science and is part of a broader national strategy to expand access to higher education in underserved regions.
On September 9, 2025, UDOM’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Prof Lughano Kusiluka, conducted an on-site inspection of the Njombe campus development. He expressed satisfaction with the progress but urged contractors to expedite the work to meet the project’s completion deadline in May 2026.
“We have instructed the contractor to increase both manpower and construction materials to ensure work continues day and night. There will be no extension of time, and we expect all buildings to be completed by May 2026,” Prof Kusiluka said.
He also announced that UDOM management will implement continuous monitoring of the project instead of relying solely on consultants.
Currently, the project is 15 percent complete, with contractors finalising the foundational structures and preparing for the next phase of construction, according to Project Supervising Engineer Filbert Shayo. The Njombe Regional Commissioner, Mr. Antony Mtaka, emphasised the significance of the campus for local communities and neighbouring regions.
“We urge UDOM to closely supervise the construction. There is great anticipation that students from Njombe and the surrounding regions will begin enrolling in the 2026/27 academic year,” he remarked.
The campus is set to offer programs in Business, Agriculture, Science, and Technology, designed to meet national workforce demands and empower residents.
Njombe and nearby regions have long been engaged in agriculture and forestry-related businesses, and UDOM’s presence is expected to enhance skills and innovation, thereby boosting the region’s socio-economic development.
Mr Thobias Mwang’onda, a Njombe-born economist based in Dar es Salaam, believes the new campus will be transformative.
“This is a strategic move that decentralises higher education in Tanzania. It will equip young people with practical skills to manage agribusiness, forestry, and local trade,” he said.
Similarly, Dr Miriam Isaya, an education specialist and native of Njombe who resides in Dar es Salaam, emphasised the broader implications for Tanzania’s higher education landscape.
“Distributing campuses beyond traditional centres like Dar es Salaam and Dodoma ensures more equitable access. Students will no longer need to relocate long distances, which reduces costs and encourages more enrollment from rural areas. It’s a model for regional empowerment,” she noted.
The Njombe campus is also linked to the Higher Education for Economic Transformation (HEET) project, which supports Tanzanian universities in broadening access, improving infrastructure, and aligning programmes with market needs.
Through HEET, UDOM aims to deliver education that responds to regional economic realities, particularly in agriculture-based sectors.
For local farmers and entrepreneurs, the campus promises direct benefits.
By providing training in modern farming techniques, agribusiness management, and business analytics, it will enable residents to add value to agricultural products, improve productivity, and access broader markets.
As Njombe prepares for the campus launch, the region is poised for a new wave of educational, social, and economic development.
