Rostam challenges firms to build capacity through major projects
DAR ES SALAAM: TANZANIA’S growing investments in infrastructure and mining offer significant opportunities to strengthen domestic businesses, build local expertise and deepen private sector participation in major national projects, businessman Rostam Aziz has said.
He said involving local companies in large-scale projects would enable them to acquire technical skills, financial capacity and experience while ensuring more investment benefits remained within the domestic economy.
Mr Azizi was a guest of honour at the African Construction and Mining Excellence Awards (ACAMEA) 2026 in Dar es Salaam over the weekend. He urged the government to strengthen local content requirements across infrastructure and mining projects.
He cited the Ministry of Minerals as an example of progress in promoting local participation, urging other ministries, particularly the Ministry of Works, to adopt similar measures.
“Tanzania is implementing major projects, but are we also building large Tanzanian companies?” he asked, emphasising that development should be measured not only by completed infrastructure but also by the capabilities local firms acquire.
He said partnerships with experienced international companies could help domestic contractors to access advanced technology, equipment and specialised expertise.
Mr Aziz cited his business experience, including supervising a project worth 1tri/- in Dubai in 2007, as evidence of Tanzanian entrepreneurs’ potential to manage major assignments.
He also highlighted employment generated by his businesses, saying Yas, formerly Tigo, employed about 5,000 people, of whom 4,999 were Tanzanians, while Taifa Gas employed 700, all Tanzanians.
He called for clear local participation targets, timely payments to contractors and improved access to financing, urging CRDB and NMB banks to develop lending arrangements enabling contractors to use confirmed government payments to secure loans.
Linking the initiative to Development Vision 2050’s one-trilliondollar economy ambition, he said major projects should leave behind both completed infrastructure and stronger domestic enterprises.
Earlier, TAMISA Chairman for Marketing and Capital Mobilisation, Dr Sebastian Ndege said stronger local participation was essential to increasing mining’s contribution to national development.
