State rallies support for youth
DAR ES SALAAM: PRIME Minister Dr Mwigulu Nchemba has directed ministries, public institutions and local government authorities to expand economic opportunities for young people through procurement, skills development and business support programmes, to accelerate youth participation in the economy.
Representing President Samia Suluhu Hassan at the Vijana Uchumi Challenge grand finale in Dar es Salaam yesterday, Dr Nchemba said the government remains committed to ensuring no young person is left behind in the country’s development agenda.
He said youth empowerment is a key pillar of the government’s development strategy and called on institutions to actively integrate young people into productive economic activities, instead of leaving them on the margins.
The Premier directed public institutions to prioritise youth-led enterprises in public procurement by effectively implementing the reserved quota of government tenders for young entrepreneurs and other special groups.
He also instructed local government authorities to widen access to start-up capital and strengthen the management of youth development funds to ensure financing reaches productive youth groups engaged in viable economic ventures.
Dr Nchemba further called for the expansion of skills development programmes, particularly in technical, vocational and digital fields, saying they should be aligned with labour market demands to equip young people for both domestic and international employment opportunities.
He also directed the ministries responsible for education, industry and Information Communication Technology, to strengthen entrepreneurship training, innovation hubs and business incubation centres, to help young innovators transform ideas into sustainable businesses.
The Prime Minister further instructed relevant institutions to improve business support services, including mentorship, market access and simplified regulatory procedures for young entrepreneurs.
He commended participants in the Vijana Uchumi Challenge, saying their innovations demonstrated great potential to drive economic transformation, particularly in agriculture, technology and service delivery.
Dr Nchemba also stressed the importance of peace and stability, saying sustainable economic progress depends on a secure and united nation. He urged young people not to allow themselves to be used in activities that could undermine national stability.
Minister for Youth Development, Dr Joel Nanauka, said the government is coordinating cross-sector efforts to ensure young people benefit from employment opportunities, access to finance, markets, technology, innovation support and structured participation in economic activities.
He said the ministry will continue working with stakeholders to ensure ideas generated through the competition are nurtured and linked to implementation opportunities.
Dr Nanauka also commended all participants, including those who did not reach the final stage, saying their participation reflects the growing capacity of Tanzanian youth to contribute solutions to national development challenges.
Permanent Secretary in the Office of the President (Youth Development), Jenifa Omolo, said the competition demonstrates the government’s commitment to building a youthdriven economy founded on creativity, skills and technology.
She said the competition attracted 7,832 ideas from Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar. Following a transparent selection process, the top 100 participants underwent a national boot camp that provided training and mentorship.
From the programme, 30 finalists emerged before 10 top innovators were selected by a panel of experts from universities, research institutions and the financial sector, reflecting the government’s commitment to fairness, professionalism and excellence in promoting innovation.
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CRDB Bank Foundation Chairman Oswald Urassa said the Foundation remains committed to supporting government efforts to empower youth through access to finance, skills development and entrepreneurship support.
He said more than 220,000 small entrepreneurs have benefited from over 26bn/- in funding. Through the Vijana Uchumi Challenge, the Foundation has financed 77 youthled projects across key sectors while providing financial literacy training and mentorship.
Chief Judge of the competition, Professor Neema Mori, announced Geoffrey Sanga as the winner of the Youth Uchumi Challenge, receiving 50m/-. Jacob Mugisha took second place with 30m/-, while Robert Malonga finished third and received 20m/-. Dr Nchemba also pledged an additional 5m/- to each winner.
Prof Mori said the competition has demonstrated that Tanzania has a strong pool of young innovators capable of delivering practical solutions to the country’s development challenges.
