Tanzania hails Howo assembly plant’s growth in production, creating jobs, government revenue

DAR ES SALAAM: THE Tanzanian government has hailed the success of the Howo vehicle assembly plant owned by Saturn Corporation Limited as a major milestone in the growth of Tanzania’s industrial sector, citing increased production, employment and government revenue.

Speaking during the laying of a foundation stone for a new pick-up truck manufacturing plant, Minister for Industry and Trade Judith Kapinga said an investment of more than 65bn/- had enabled the factory to increase its assembly capacity from 10 vehicles per day in 2024 to 30 vehicles per day currently.

According to the minister, the government aims to see the plant expand its capacity to assemble 100 vehicles daily in the future, a move expected to create more jobs, promote automotive manufacturing technology and position Tanzania as a vehicle production hub in East and Central Africa.

Elaborating, the minister stated that within two years of operation, Saturn Corporation Limited has contributed more than 40.7bn/- to the central government and 1.5bn/- to Kigamboni Municipal Council in Dar es Salaam through taxes and levies.

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The company has also created direct employment opportunities for more than 360 Tanzanians and over 2,500 indirect jobs.

Managing Director Rehmatullah Habib said many Tanzanians employed by the company had received training in vehicle assembly, engineering and industrial production, helping build local expertise in modern automobile manufacturing systems that previously relied heavily on foreign specialists.