TSN commercial printing project nears completion

DODOMA: THE ongoing construction of a state-of-the-art commercial printing facility for Tanzania Standard Newspapers (TSN) has reached 83.1 per cent completion, while procurement of new printing equipment stands at 85 per cent, the National Assembly has been told.

Minister for Information, Culture, Arts and Sports, Mr Paul Makonda, revealed this in the National Assembly in Dodoma yesterday while tabling his ministry’s 2026/27 budget estimates and seeking Parliament’s approval of approximately 525.33bn/-.

“The ministry, through Tanzania Standard Newspapers (TSN), has continued implementing the project to install modern printing equipment through the construction of a printing plant and procurement of advanced machinery,” he said while updating the House on the status of the multi-billion-shilling project in Dar es Salaam.

Apart from the project, Mr Makonda said his ministry, through TSN, has continued improving content production and publishing through newspapers, online platforms and social media channels.

The content, he noted, has focused on informing the public about the achievements of the Sixth Phase Government under President Samia Suluhu Hassan.

As of April 2026, the government-owned publishing company had produced and published a total of 2,973 strategic articles.

The minister added that TSN has also established a special historical archive through the digitisation of past newspaper editions and photographs.

According to Mr Makonda, a total of 12,600 editions of Daily News and HabariLEO, 2,499 photographs and 2,100 feature articles have been indexed.

He said the system preserves key national records, including the country’s history, records of past leaders, including the founding fathers, the history of liberation struggles in Southern Africa and diplomatic archives.

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“By preserving historical records and archives, TSN has become a key source of information for several publications, including books on Third Phase President, the late Benjamin William Mkapa; Second Phase President, the late Ali Hassan Mwinyi; a publication on the Union; and photographs displayed at the Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre,” he told the House.

As part of strengthening its digital systems, the company has developed the TSN Integrated Management Information System (TIMIS), which links the digital archive with the company’s website, enabling access to services and information from anywhere in the world.

Tanzania Standard Newspapers Limited is a government-owned limited liability company that publishes the Daily News, Sunday News, HabariLEO and SpotiLEO newspapers, alongside digital news content across social media platforms.

Meanwhile, Mr Makonda informed the House that the Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation (TBC), in collaboration with the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, is implementing a signal expansion project in 15 districts.

So far, installation of broadcasting equipment has been completed in Arumeru (Arusha), Meatu (Simiyu), Sengerema (Mwanza), Kilosa (Morogoro), Mpwapwa (Dodoma) and Momba (Songwe).

Construction of equipment housing facilities is ongoing in Iringa Rural (Iringa), Lushoto (Tanga), Simanjiro (Manyara), Mpimbwe (Rukwa), Nyang’hwale (Geita), Kilombero (Morogoro), Nkasi South (Rukwa), Itigi (Singida) and Mkalama (Singida).

“Upon completion, these stations will increase coverage to 98 per cent. As of April 2026, TBC radio coverage has reached 139 districts,” Mr Makonda said.