Govt maps 23,150 industries to spur employment
ARUSHA: THE government has identified 23,150 small, medium, large and micro industries in seven regions to attract investment and create jobs for youth, women and special groups.
The government is currently collecting national industrial data, which will be integrated into the National Industrial Information Management System (NIIMS) to enable both local and foreign investors to make informed decisions and drive economic growth.
The Tanzania Industrial Research and Development Organisation (TIRDO), Director General Prof Mkumbukwa Mtambo said during a training session for Trade and IT officers from Arusha and Manyara that the ongoing industrial data collection will help the government identify regional opportunities and the types of industries operating in each area.
“The goal is to highlight investment opportunities, challenges faced by industrialists to achieve efficiency, including attracting investment in ensuring jobs are available as industries are the ones that will create the most jobs, especially in the private sector,” he said.
He noted that this information will support the implementation of President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s agenda to revitalise industries and expand employment opportunities for youth.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Dr Hashil Abdallah, said the launch of industrial and entrepreneurship reports provides the government with a clear picture of investment and trade opportunities, including the types of industries, raw materials used, products produced and jobs created.
He emphasized that the exercise responds to President Samia’s directive to strengthen Tanzania’s industrial economy through research, enabling the ministry to support employment, investment, and local participation by providing accurate industrial information for different regions.
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Dr Abdallah added that the government is committed to addressing employment challenges for youth, women and special groups by identifying both operational and non-operational industries and mapping investment opportunities in Arusha and Manyara, with similar studies underway in other regions.
The exercise is being coordinated by TIRDO in collaboration with the National Bureau of Statistics and the President’s Office Regional Administration, as it is a key tool for managing the industrial sector and establishing NIIMS to support reporting, policymaking, planning and sector monitoring.
Arusha Regional Administrative Secretary, Missaile Musa noted that Arusha has 64 large factories, 262 medium factories, and 3,882 small and microindustries, which provide employment across various groups.
Manyara Regional Administrative Secretary, Maryam Muhaji reported that Manyara has 2,546 industries 2,212 small, 314 medium, and 16 large largely driven by agriculture, with major opportunities in sugarcane, sunflower, peas, lentils and chickpea processing.
