Govt pushes women to lead key economic sectors 

DAR ES SALAAM: THE government has pledged to strengthen support for women entrepreneurs as part of efforts to ensure they play a leading role in the country’s industrial and trade development.

This comes as women continue to emerge as a powerful force in the country’s economic transformation, increasingly driving growth across various sectors of the economy.

Speaking at the women in Business-Gala held over the weekend, Minister for Industry and Trade, Ms Judith Kapinga said empowering women is vital since they have become a critical pillar in the country’s economic growth.

She said that many women are actively engaging in small and medium enterprises, manufacturing, crop processing, services and technology-based innovation activities that contribute significantly to job creation, household income and national revenue.

“Our ministry continues to encourage and empower women to assume leadership positions, including in construction and infrastructure to ensure that women take the lead in key economic sectors,” said Ms Kapinga.

Ms Kapinga said the government through her ministry has introduced several measures to improve the business climate including reforms to policies and regulations governing trade and investment to make them more business-friendly, as well as the digitisation of business registration and licensing procedures to reduce costs and save time for entrepreneurs.

She added that the government is also investing in industrial infrastructure by developing industrial parks and special economic zones aimed at attracting investment in the manufacturing sector.

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“Training programmes in entrepreneurship, product quality and market competitiveness are being expanded, particularly for women and youth, to help them compete locally and internationally,” she said.

Access to finance remains a key priority. To that, Ms Kapinga said that between July 2025 and February 2026, the Small Industries Development Organisation (SIDO) provided loans worth 1.68bn/- to 278 entrepreneurs, of whom 156 were women, representing 56 per cent of beneficiaries.

To further address the challenge of limited capital, the government has also directed SIDO to issue 4.0bn/- in loans through CRDB Bank, drawn from funds provided by the government.  Half of the funds will be channelled through the national entrepreneurship development fund, while the remaining will be distributed through the CRDB Bank Foundation, with women and youth given priority.

Corporate Strategic Worldwide (CSW) Managing Director Ms Annalise Nyangusi, said efforts are underway to increase women’s representation on institutional boards and in key economic decision-making positions.

She noted that initiatives such as organising business forums and gala events for women entrepreneurs help showcase women’s leadership and demonstrate how their participation can drive positive change in institutions, businesses and society.