Tanzania claims helm in EAC’s PPP expertise, ranked 9th globally

DAR ES SALAAM: TANZANIA has emerged as an East Africa regional leader in public-private partnership (PPP) expertise, ranking ninth globally in the number of Certified Public-Private Partnership Professionals (CP³P), according to the latest “Top 10 CP³P Countries Shaping Global Infrastructure” by APMG International.

The milestone positions the country ahead of regional rival Kenya and underscores the government’s deliberate focus on building technical capacity to implement complex infrastructure projects.

The CP³P programme, developed with the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Inter-American Development Bank, and the Islamic Development Bank, is recognised globally as a benchmark for PPP project competence.

APMG International, which manages the programme, reports that over 12,000 individuals have taken the exams worldwide, and thousands have been certified across more than 160 countries.

The programme has three certification levels: Foundation, Preparation, and Execution as each designed to equip professionals with technical skills ranging from project structuring to risk management and contract negotiation.

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In the 2026 ranking, Tanzania joined a global cohort of leading PPP markets, with the top 10 countries being Brazil, Indonesia, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, the United States, South Africa, the Philippines, Tanzania, and Kenya. Each of these countries has demonstrated strong PPP expertise, with Brazil leading in PPP volume, Indonesia showing rapid growth in Asia, South Korea maintaining the highest historical exam pass rates, and Saudi Arabia driving an aggressive infrastructure expansion.

Tanzania’s inclusion alongside these established markets signals its growing institutional maturity and rising credibility in the eyes of international investors.

Chelu Matuzya, head of public relations at the Public-Private Partnership Centre (PPPC), said the ranking is a reflection of deliberate national investment in human capital.

“This is an important milestone for the country because it shows that we now have a workforce capable of delivering high-quality infrastructure projects. PPPC is proud that Tanzanians are increasingly taking leadership in shaping the future of our national projects,” he said.

The surge in CP³P-certified professionals is particularly notable given that just two years ago, only a handful of Tanzanians had achieved full certification.

 When David Kafulila assumed the role of Executive Director of PPPC, the country had very limited expertise to manage PPP transactions. Today, there are 56 fully certified professionals working across central government, local authorities, and parastatals.