Govt, CTI tackle manufacturing challenges

DAR ES SALAAM: THE government has pledged to collaborate with the Confederation of Tanzania Industries (CTI) to address persistent challenges facing manufacturers, including unreliable electricity, infrastructure gaps and logistical bottlenecks.

This was said by the Minister for Industry and Trade Ms Judith Kapinga, during the opening of CTI Annual Symposium and 32nd Annual General Meeting in Dar es Salaam yesterday.

“Ongoing improvements in national infrastructure are designed to support sustainable industrial growth and attract new investment,” she said.

Key among these initiatives is the enhancement of energy reliability, backed by major projects such as the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Plant, which has now been completed and is capable of generating 2,115 MW of electricity annually.

Minister Kapinga said the milestone will significantly boost the national grid, improve access to dependable power for industries and enhance the livelihoods of citizens who have faced frequent disruptions.

Transport and logistics infrastructure is receiving significant upgrades, with the government modernising the Uhuru Railway, advancing the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) and improving cargo handling efficiency at ports.

Ms Kapinga emphasised that while the government works to address industrial sector challenges, investors and producers also have a role to play.

“This includes producing high-quality, competitively priced products, expanding domestic and international markets and employing Tanzanian university graduates,” she said.

She added that an efficient industrial sector can quickly generate positive societal and economic impacts, reducing poverty and boosting government revenue.

CTI Chairman Hussein Suphian emphasised the regional importance of Tanzania’s infrastructure, noting that several southern African countries depend on Tanzanian ports.

He said it is essential for the country to strengthen its logistical systems to remain competitive, especially as new regional transport corridors emerge.

Mr Suphian pointed out that the Lobito Corridor, an ambitious railway project linking Angola’s Lobito port with Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, may increase competition for Tanzania, particularly given Congo’s heavy reliance on Tanzanian ports.

He stressed the need to ensure Tanzania’s transport and energy systems remain efficient to protect the country’s trade interests.