TADB lending tops 1.38tri/- after capital boost

DODOMA: Tanzania’s Agricultural Development Bank (TADB) has disbursed more than 1.38 tril/- in loans since its establishment after the government increased the bank’s capital more than sevenfold under the Sixth Phase administration, strengthening its capacity to finance agriculture and support national food security. Speaking during a briefing on the bank’s 2025/26 performance and priorities for 2026/27, TADB Managing Director Frank Nyabundege said the institution’s capital had grown from 60 bil/- before 2021 to 452.16 bil/-, enabling it to expand lending to farmers, livestock keepers and fishers across the country. The government injected 208 bil/- into the bank in 2021, raising its capital to 268 bil/-.

A further 174.16 bil/-, financed through the African Development Bank (AfDB), was added in 2024, followed by another TZS 10 billion government investment in 2025. The strengthened capital base has also helped TADB attract 445.6 bil/- in financing from development partners, including the French Development Agency (AFD) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), alongside additional resources mobilised through guarantee schemes and government-managed funds. Nyabundege said the expanded financial capacity had enabled the bank to significantly scale up agricultural lending, with cumulative loans surpassing 1.38 tril/- and benefiting more than 2.6 million people through direct lending and credit facilitation programmes.

In 2025 alone, the bank disbursed 429.82 bil/-, its highest annual lending on record. ALSO READ: TADB vows to push for Vision 2050 According to TADB, financing has supported investments across agricultural value chains, including primary production, irrigation, agro-processing, commodity marketing, post-harvest storage and cold chain infrastructure, helping reduce post-harvest losses, improve market access and raise farmers’ incomes. The bank said nearly 74 percent of its cumulative lending between 2022 and 2025 was issued during the current administration, reflecting increased investment in agricultural financing as Tanzania seeks to modernise the sector and strengthen food security.

“The Sixth Phase Government has played a significant role in strengthening the bank’s capital and expanding its capacity to serve Tanzania’s agricultural sector,” Nyabundege said. TADB said it will continue working with the government, private sector an…