Here comes professional services, delivered with integrity

DAR ES SALAAM: AS Tanzania accelerates economic reforms, deepens regional integration and positions itself as a serious destination for global investment, one question has become increasingly central to the national conversation… who advises the advisors?

In an era of heightened accountability, digitalised tax systems and complex cross-border capital flows, professional services firms play a quiet but decisive role in shaping how value is created, regulated and retained within the economy.

Their conduct can strengthen institutions or erode them. It is against this backdrop of national interest that Andersen’s official entry into Tanzania must be understood.

On the evening of the firm’s launch, Philip Muema, Head of Andersen in East Africa, did not frame the moment in terms of balance sheets, market share, or expansion targets. Instead, he spoke about values.

“It is a promise, that Tanzania deserves world-class professional services, delivered with integrity, independence and deep respect for local institutions,” Muema said.

Those words resonated beyond the walls of the launch venue. In a country where reforms are redefining the relationship between the state, investors and the private sector, the arrival of a global advisory firm is not merely a corporate event, it is a test of alignment with national priorities.

Muema was explicit that Andersen’s decision to enter Tanzania was deliberate. The firm, he said, sees its role not as an external operator extracting value, but as a long-term partner contributing to institutional strength and sustainable growth.

He traced Andersen’s origins to what he described as “a simple but powerful belief”, that businesses, governments and economies thrive best when advised by professionals who are independent in thought, uncompromising in ethics and relentlessly focused on long-term value creation.

That belief, Muema explained, has shaped Andersen’s global expansion. Rather than pursuing rapid growth or scale for its own sake, the firm has expanded carefully, anchored by credibility.

“Across the world and increasingly across Africa, Andersen has grown not by chasing size, but by earning trust,” he said.

In markets like Tanzania, this distinction matters. Trust in advisory services is inseparable from governance, transparency and the protection of national interest.

For Muema, trust is not an abstract concept; it is built through consistency, ethical clarity and constructive engagement with institutions.

Placing Tanzania within a broader regional context, Muema described Andersen’s East African journey as one guided by intention rather than opportunism.

“In East Africa, our journey has been one of partnership, patience and purpose. We entered the region not as spectators, but as builders,” he said.

Those builders, he noted, have worked closely with regulators, governments and investors, helping businesses navigate regulatory complexity with clarity and confidence.

This experience has shaped Andersen’s regional approach: one that values dialogue over confrontation and long-term outcomes over shortterm gains. Within that journey, Tanzania occupies a strategic position.

“Today, Tanzania becomes a pillar of that journey,” Muema said, pointing to the country’s reform momentum, investment pipeline and growing influence within the region.

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He spoke of a nation that is reform-driven, investment ready and globally connected, yet rightly demanding of accountability from those who operate within its borders.

“We come to Tanzania with respect for its institutions, confidence in its people and belief in its economic future,” he said.

“We recognise a country that expects advisors to be credible, compliant and deeply grounded in local realities.”

That grounding, Muema emphasised, defines Andersen Tanzania’s mission: supporting compliance and good governance, enabling sustainable investment, strengthening corporate transparency and contributing meaningfully to national economic growth.

“We are not here to simply operate. We are here to partner,” he emphasised. That partnership, he added, extends beyond clients to regulators, government leaders and the media.

In a notable appeal for public accountability, Muema remarked: “To the media hold us accountable; we welcome it.” While Muema articulated the regional and national vision, Ms Olive Mosha, Director of Andersen Tanzania Limited, grounded that vision firmly in the local operating environment.

“This event marks a defining and proud moment for us, the official launch of Andersen in Tanzania. Today, we formally take our place within Andersen Global, one of the world’s leading professional services platforms, built on independence, transparency, integrity and excellence,” Ms Mosha said.

She highlighted Andersen Global’s international reach, spanning more than 170 countries across Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas and bringing together tens of thousands of professionals delivering integrated, partner-led services across tax, legal, advisory, valuation and corporate disciplines.

Governance, Mosha noted, is a defining feature of the brand. She pointed to the firm’s parent entity being listed on the New York Stock Exchange as a reflection of its commitment to accountability and the highest international standards.

Mosha situated Andersen’s entry into Tanzania within a rapidly evolving economic landscape, driven by infrastructure development, regional integration and expanding private sector participation. At the same time, businesses face increasing regulatory complexity, digitalised tax administration and heightened compliance expectations.

“These dynamics demand advisors who understand not only the rules, but the realities of doing business here,” she said. According to Mr Isaac Saburi, Andersen Tanzania Co-Director, this is where Andersen’s model delivers value.

By combining deep local expertise with regional integration and global technical capability, Andersen Tanzania is positioned to support clients across their full business life cycle, from market entry and expansion to compliance, optimisation and cross-border growth.

Mr Saburi outlined a comprehensive service offering that includes tax advisory and compliance, international tax and transfer pricing, global mobility, legal and regulatory advisory, corporate finance and valuation and business advisory services.

All services, she stressed, are delivered through partner-led teams with strong technical depth and accountability. Beyond services, Mr Saburi returned to people.

“At the heart of everything we do are our people and our clients,” he said. Investment in talent, integrity and professional growth, she emphasised, is essential to delivering advice that is not only technically sound, but commercially relevant and sustainable.

That philosophy has already translated into measurable outcomes. Through robust technical advocacy and constructive engagement with authorities, Andersen has helped clients secure waivers of interest and penalties and achieve reductions in tax assessments exceeding 6bn/-.

“These outcomes preserve capital, strengthen compliance and allow clients to reinvest in growth. Strong compliance, good governance and sustainable growth go hand in hand,” Mr Saburi said, adding that as part of its alignment with government initiatives, Andersen Tanzania has provided employment to over 100 Tanzanians.

Andersen Tanzania’s growing client portfolio reflects the diversity of the national and regional economy. It spans aviation, logistics, financial services, infrastructure, technology, education, development and the notfor-profit sector.

Clients include Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways, Oman Air, HOPAC, Inflight Catering Services (LSG Group), Maendeleo Bank, Pesapal, D-local, Compassion International, Children in Crossfire, Ubongo Learning and CCL EHS Consultants supporting strategic initiatives such as the East African Crude Oil Pipeline.

Muema returned to the theme that framed the evening, saying that Andersen’s name is known globally, but their reputation in Tanzania will be built locally through integrity, professionalism and impact.

Looking ahead, he outlined a five-year ambition to help reshape negotiations and the tax landscape, delivering high-quality solutions that support national and continental transformation.