By Correspondent Joseph Mahumi
Tanzania has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening its partnership with Africa50, signalling a renewed drive to mobilise investment for strategic infrastructure projects across the continent as the country positions itself as a regional hub for long-term development finance.
The pledge was made by Finance Minister Ambassador Khamis Mussa Omar during the Africa50 General Shareholders’ Meeting (GSM), which concluded at the Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre (JNICC) in Dar es Salaam. The minister co-chaired the meeting, which brought together shareholder governments, financial institutions and development partners from across Africa.
Speaking to delegates, Omar described Africa50 as a critical institution in bridging Africa’s infrastructure financing gap by connecting governments with investors and financial institutions capable of turning national infrastructure priorities into commercially viable investment projects.
“As a shareholder, Tanzania views Africa50 as an important platform that transforms infrastructure priorities into bankable projects capable of attracting private investment,” he said.
His remarks come as African governments increasingly seek innovative financing mechanisms to address the continent’s vast infrastructure deficit, estimated to require hundreds of billions of dollars annually to meet growing demand for transport networks, energy systems and logistics infrastructure.
Vision aligned with Tanzania’s long-term ambitions
The minister said Africa50’s strategic objectives closely complement Tanzania’s Development Vision 2050 (Dira 2050), which seeks to propel the country into upper-middle-income status while expanding the economy to US$1 trillion by 2050.
He noted that achieving those ambitions will depend heavily on modern infrastructure capable of supporting industrialisation, regional trade and private sector-led growth.
“Infrastructure is the backbone of our development agenda, particularly in energy, transport and logistics, which are essential for improving productivity, facilitating trade and driving economic growth,” Omar said.
The Finance Minister added that Tanzania remains committed to working with Africa50 and fellow shareholders to attract sustainable investment, develop transformational infrastructure projects and strengthen regional integration across the continent.
Dar es Salaam hosts milestone gathering
Tanzania hosted the annual shareholders’ meeting as Africa50 marked a decade since its establishment, underscoring the country’s growing role in continental discussions on infrastructure financing.
Welcoming delegates from across Africa and beyond, Omar said it was an honour for Tanzania to host the event and expressed confidence that the discussions would help shape the institution’s next phase of growth.
“We warmly welcome all participants to Dar es Salaam and hope your deliberations will be productive while you enjoy Tanzania’s renowned hospitality,” he said.
He thanked shareholders for their constructive contributions, expressing confidence that the resolutions adopted during the meeting would strengthen Africa50’s position as one of the continent’s leading infrastructure investment platforms over the coming decade.
Closing Africa’s infrastructure gap
The gathering brought together shareholder countries, development finance institutions, investors and policymakers to explore new approaches to financing Africa’s infrastructure needs.
For Tanzania, deeper engagement with Africa50 complements ongoing efforts to leverage private capital for strategic investments under Vision 2050, where the private sector is expected to finance the majority of the country’s long-term development agenda.
With infrastructure increasingly recognised as the foundation for industrial competitiveness, trade expansion and regional connectivity, the partnership with Africa50 is expected to support Tanzania’s ambitions while contributing to broader continental efforts to unlock sustainable economic growth. As governments across Africa seek to convert infrastructure plans into investable projects, Tanzania’s renewed commitment signals confidence that stronger public-private partnerships and innovative financing models will be central to building the transport corridors, power systems and logistics networks needed to drive the continent’s next phase of economic transformation.
