LOCAL and foreign investors have been invited to invest in the untapped and underutilised investment opportunities in Tanzania’s Southern Regions across various industries.
The call was made on Saturday by Ruvuma, Lindi and Mtwara Regional Commissioners during a virtual conference to highlight achievements recorded in the sixth phase administration and promote potential investment prospects in their areas.
In the regions, there are investment opportunities in agriculture, tourism, mining, livestock, education and factories.
Regional Commissioner for Ruvuma, Colonel Laban Thomas noted that the area is reachable by both road and air, has ideal weather for agriculture and has easy access to electricity.
He further said that investing in Lake Nyasa was another opportunity and that they invite those interested to invest in fish processing and export them as finished goods, “We need investors with the most up-to-date machinery and technology to tap into this area.”
The majority of our territory, or more than 50,673 square kilometres, or 4 million hectares (or 79 per cent of the total regional area), is ideal for food and commercial agriculture,” according to Colonel Thomas.
“There are also opportunities in large-scale crop production, investment potential in cutting-edge agricultural technologies and inputs, as well as new value-addition industries,” he said.
Colonel Thomas added that there are more chances in the sectors of tourism, natural resources and animal husbandry. In the area of minerals, copper and limestone are available.
Regarding accomplishments, he stated that the region had received 5.362bn/- from the mobile transaction levy, which had been used to build 10 health centres and over 360mil/- to build 29 classrooms.
Lindi RC Zainab Telack said there are numerous locations with a large reserve of gypsum and graphite minerals, which are crucial for industrial use, demonstrating that Lindi is the ideal investment location for organisations and individuals.
“There is an opportunity to invest in cashew nut processing industries because they are more lucrative than raw cashew nut sales, which Tanzania sells primarily. In Lindi, there is only one cashew nut factory at the moment,” said Ms Telack.
She added, “With challenges in cooking oil, there are opportunities to invest in sesame oil production in the region.”
Ms Telack says they have recorded success in the sixth phase government for instance in the education sector, where they received 20.3bn/- in which 8.1bn/- was from mobile transaction levies and they have built 401 classrooms and two dormitories as well as 11 new secondary schools.
Regarding electricity connectivity in the region, she said they have been given more than 90.4bn/-, and contractors are now on the ground to make sure the remaining villages are also linked. Currently 402 out of 121 villages are connected to electricity.
“In the health sector, we have received 18.8bn/- and with this money, we have been able to construct a regional referral hospital, which is currently in its final stages and which cost 7.6bn/-,” she stated.
According to her, through the Medical Stores Department (MSD), the government has allocated 4.1bn/- since March this year to assist in accessibility of medications and medical supplies as well as to enhance oral health care.
For his part, Mtwara Regional Commissioner, Colonel Ahmed Abass Ahmed remarked that their districts have irrigation prospects. For instance, Mtwara District alone has roughly 9,050 hectares in the Kitere and Maurunga areas that are suitable for growing rice and vegetables.
“Livestock keeping is still low in our region so there are opportunities in the area for food and business,” he said.
Colonel Ahmed added that because they use natural gas-generated electricity, there is a port that can accommodate them and has contemporary equipment, which means their investment will be completely secure.
“In fact, there is a lot of gas in Lindi and Mtwara, if there are investors who can engage in the gas vehicle manufacturing business, come and invest in Tanzania,” Colonel Ahmed remarked.
He said that exporters of cashew and sesame, particularly those in the southern regions, can ship their goods to Mtwara port instead of taking them elsewhere.
According to the RC, there is also the grave of the tallest man in the world, who is believed to have been eight feet tall when he passed away and was buried in the 1880s. “If you come, you will find his history and see the tomb,” the RC added in reference to tourism.