Tanzania woos Italian investors for value addition
ITALY: TANZANIA has opened its doors wider to Italian investors, seeking capital, technology and expertise to drive production, value addition and access to expanding African markets.
Speaking recently in Italy during the Tanzania–Europe Roadshow, Deputy Minister of State in the President’s Office (Planning and Investment), Dr Pius Chaya said Tanzania was ready to enter a new phase of economic cooperation with Italy, anchored in technology, innovation, knowledge transfer and value-adding investment.
Dr Chaya said Tanzania offers significant opportunities in agriculture and agro-processing, renewable energy and information and communication technology (ICT).
He said the country is seeking investments that would go beyond increasing production to transforming raw materials into finished and semi-finished products, creating jobs, strengthening domestic value chains and boosting exports.
“Do not come to Tanzania just to sell; come to produce, process, innovate and sell products from Tanzania to Africa and global markets,” Dr Chaya said.
He underlined the fact that the country is strategically positioned as a gateway to markets in the East African Community (EAC), Southern African Development Community (SADC) and African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
He said the government continues to improve the investment environment through the President’s Office (Planning and Investment), Tanzania Investment and Special Economic Zones Authority (TISEZA) and Zanzibar Investment Promotion Authority (ZIPA).
He also invited Italian companies to explore opportunities in clean energy, digital infrastructure, fintech, data centres, artificial intelligence and modern agricultural technologies.
He said such investments would support Tanzania’s ambition to build a competitive economy in line with the objectives of Tanzania Development Vision 2050.
Dr Chaya further invited Italian investors to participate in the Tanzania–EU Investment and Business Forum 2027, which will be held in Dar es Salaam.
He said the country welcomes partners interested in investing, producing and growing alongside the country.
Meanwhile, TISEZA Director-General Mr Gilead Teri used the roadshow to present investment opportunities and priority areas in Tanzania, highlighting the authority’s role in connecting investors with available opportunities and supporting them throughout the investment process.
Through its participation in the roadshow, TISEZA continued to promote the country as a strategic destination for investment, production and value addition while encouraging Italian and other European companies to consider establishing or expanding operations in the country.
Discussions in Italy focused on opportunities in agriculture and agro-processing, digital technology and innovation, renewable energy, transport and logistics.
In agriculture, Tanzania is seeking investment across the entire value chain, from production, storage and processing to packaging, cold-chain facilities, transportation and marketing.
The country also presented opportunities in clean and renewable energy, including solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal and biomass, as well as energy storage, electricity distribution, smart-grid technologies and financing for clean-energy projects.
In the digital economy, Italian companies were invited to explore opportunities in digital infrastructure, broadband connectivity, data centres, cloud services, fintech, e-government, artificial intelligence and digital skills development.
The roadshow also provided a platform for investors, companies, financial institutions and other stakeholders to connect with Tanzanian projects and businesses seeking capital, technology, markets and strategic partnerships.
The initiative is aimed at turning investment discussions into concrete projects and long-term commercial partnerships between Tanzanian and Italian and other European businesses.
