By Correspondent Ramadhani Kissimba, Durban
Southern African countries have been urged to accelerate investment in manufacturing and infrastructure to unlock employment opportunities for women and young people, with Tanzania positioning industrialisation as the engine for long-term economic transformation.
The call came during the ongoing SADC Industrialisation Week in Durban, South Africa, where the Tanzania Investment Bank (TIB) argued that the region’s next phase of growth will depend not only on producing more goods, but also on adding greater value to its abundant natural resources.
Speaking on the sidelines of the event, TIB’s Research and Business Manager, Dr. Hilderbrand Shayo, said investment in value-adding industries would strengthen regional economies by expanding productive employment, increasing exports and creating broader opportunities for women and young entrepreneurs.
“The industrialisation agenda offers a practical pathway to inclusive economic growth,” he said, noting that manufacturing has the potential to absorb a growing workforce while generating higher incomes and boosting the competitiveness of local industries.
For Tanzania, the discussions in Durban closely align with the country’s wider ambition of building a modern industrial economy under the National Development Vision 2050 (Dira 2050).
Dr Shayo said Tanzania’s participation in SADC Industrialisation Week reflects national priorities in mining, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, infrastructure and innovation – sectors identified as central to sustaining economic growth over the coming decades.
“The focus of this year’s forum on strengthening value chains in mining, agriculture and health products mirrors Tanzania’s own development priorities. These are the sectors that will shape our transition towards a more diversified and resilient industrial economy,” he said.
The event has also provided Tanzania with an opportunity to market its investment potential to regional and international investors.
According to Dr. Shayo, several investors expressed interest in expanding operations into Tanzania, citing the country’s improving business environment, political stability and strategic location as a gateway to Southern and Eastern African markets.
He said the Port of Dar es Salaam continues to strengthen Tanzania’s position as a regional trade and logistics hub, serving not only domestic industries but also several neighbouring SADC countries that depend on the corridor for international trade.
Beyond attracting investors, the forum has enabled Tanzania to deepen commercial partnerships with development institutions and private sector stakeholders from across the region.
Dr Shayo believes such engagement is essential if African countries are to finance the industrial projects needed to sustain long-term growth.
He called on financial institutions participating in the conference – including TIB, Exim Bank, BADEA and Nedbank – to strengthen collaboration in mobilising capital for infrastructure and industrial investments.
“Development finance institutions have an important role to play in unlocking investment that will drive Tanzania’s industrial expansion and broader economic growth,” he said.
The mining sector featured prominently in the discussions.
Dr. Shayo argued that Tanzania should move beyond exporting raw minerals and instead invest in domestic processing industries capable of producing higher-value products for international markets.
With global demand for critical minerals rising as countries invest in clean energy technologies and advanced manufacturing, he said Tanzania has an opportunity to capture a greater share of the value chain by processing its mineral resources locally.
Doing so, he added, would create skilled jobs, generate additional foreign exchange earnings and stimulate the growth of supporting industries across the economy.
His remarks reflect a broader shift in economic policy across the SADC region, where governments are increasingly seeking to reduce dependence on commodity exports by expanding manufacturing capacity and encouraging regional value chains.
SADC Industrialisation Week has become one of the bloc’s leading platforms for advancing cooperation in trade, investment and industrial development. For Tanzania, participation extends beyond diplomatic engagement; it is an opportunity to attract investment, forge strategic partnerships and promote industries that can accelerate economic transformation. As competition for manufacturing investment intensifies across Africa, Tanzania is seeking to distinguish itself through its natural resource base, improving infrastructure and access to regional markets. The message delivered in Durban was clear: industrialisation is no longer viewed simply as an economic objective, but as a catalyst for creating jobs, empowering women and young people, and securing sustainable growth for the decades ahead.
