Manufacturing set to spur Tanzania’s economic transformation

MANUFACTURING is poised to play a pivotal role in Tanzania’s ambition to build a one trillion US dollar-economy by 2050, creating jobs, adding value to local resources, boosting exports and accelerating the country’s transition to an industrialised economy. As Tanzania seeks to attain upper-middle-income country status and raise per capita income to 7,000 US dollars, the sector is expected to be a key driver of economic transformation under the country’s longterm development framework, Dira 2050, launched by President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan in July 2025. With Tanzania’s population projected to exceed 118 million by 2050, expanding manufacturing capacity will be critical to meeting rising domestic demand, creating employment opportunities and strengthening the country’s competitiveness in regional and global markets.

However, growing the economy from its current nominal GDP of approximately 87–95 billion US dollars according to 2025/26 projections cited by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to one trillion US dollars within the next 25 years will require sustained economic expansion, greater investment in productive industries and a stronger focus on transforming locally available raw materials into higher-value finished goods. Achieving a one trillion US dollar- economy by 2050 will require sustained economic expansion, with nominal GDP growing by an average of approximately 10–11 per cent annually, depending on the starting point and exchange-rate movements. To achieve this ambition, Tanzania has identified nine key transformative sectors expected to drive long-term prosperity and sustainable growth.

Dira 2050 provides a framework for identifying and prioritising sectors that can harness the country’s abundant resources, improve livelihoods and sustain economic progress. Nine transformative sectors The nine sectors identified as having the potential to drive Tanzania’s transformation by 2050 are agriculture, tourism, construction and real estate, mining, the blue economy, sports and the creative industries, the financial sector, services and manufacturing. The framework adopts a balanced approach, focusing on sectors that can diversify economic growth while generating substantial employment opportunities.

Its flexible design also allows Tanzania to respond to emerging challenges and opportunities, ensuring that development priorities remain relevant in …