Tanzania cherishes its position as Africa’s major transport and economic hub

WASHINGTON: TANZANIA is steadily cementing its position as a key transport and economic hub in Africa, driven by sustained investments in transport corridors that are boosting trade, employment and regional integration.

Minister for Finance, Ambassador Khamis Mussa Omar, highlighted the progress when speaking at a World Bank panel discussion on the role of transport corridors in Africa’s economic growth, held on the sidelines of the 2026 IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington, D.C.

Presenting his remarks, the minister said that Tanzania has been at the forefront of linking neighbouring countries through modern infrastructure, citing the historic Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA), established in the 1970s, as one of the earliest transport corridors connecting Tanzania and Zambia.

ALSO READ: CHAUMMA’s Mwalimu expresses confidence in the Commission of Inquiry

However, he noted that for many years the corridor primarily served transport purposes without fully unlocking economic potential along its route, a gap the government is now addressing by transforming it into a fully-fledged economic corridor.

“The new direction is to ensure these corridors become economic corridors rather than just transport routes. This will stimulate industrial development, trade, and services,” the minister said.

Additionally, he said that such corridors are vital not only for urban growth but also for uplifting rural economies, where most production takes place, by linking them to markets and unlocking broader development opportunities.

Furthermore, the minister pointed to the success of the Central Corridor, which connects the Port of Dar es Salaam to neighbouring countries through Lake Victoria and Lake Tanganyika, opening trade routes for Burundi, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and South Sudan.

He said the development has strengthened Tanzania’s role as a strategic trade gateway for East and Central Africa.

“To further reinforce this position, the government has made significant investments in the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), aimed at enhancing efficiency, reducing transport costs and accelerating the movement of goods across the region,” he said.

According to the minister, the ongoing improvements underscore Tanzania’s ambition to transform its transport infrastructure into a catalyst for inclusive economic growth and regional prosperity.