The announcement was made by the Minister for Minerals, Anthony Mavunde, on January 21, 2025, in Dodoma, during the presentation of the Ministry’s progress report to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Energy and Minerals.
Minister Mavunde attributed this impressive performance to effective management, strong oversight, and professionalism in revenue collection within the mining sector.
“The Ministry has made significant progress compared to the 2015/16 fiscal year when only TZS 161 billion was collected for the entire year.
This year, within the first six months, we have already achieved over half of our annual target,” he stated.
In other developments, Minister Mavunde revealed that large and medium-sized mining licenses that remain underutilized will be reclaimed by the government and handed over to the State Mining Corporation (STAMICO) for development.
He emphasized that this move is aimed at ensuring that the nation benefits from its mineral resources.
STAMICO, the Minister noted, has positioned itself as a key player in the production of graphite, a critical mineral in the global market.
Furthermore, as part of efforts to support local salt farmers, STAMICO plans to build a large salt processing plant in Lindi Region.
The plant's equipment has already arrived in the country, and construction is expected to begin in February 2025.
The Ministry has also prioritized enhancing mineral research through the Geological Survey of Tanzania (GST).
Minister Mavunde explained that the country has been divided into six exploration zones, and 18% of the nation will undergo detailed exploration this fiscal year.
These efforts aim to expand the database of mineral-rich areas and attract more investments in the sector.
The Ministry's achievements were lauded by Dr. Mathayo David, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Energy and Minerals.
Dr. Mathayo commended the Ministry for its strong revenue performance and efforts to strengthen the sector.
He also congratulated the appointment of Engineer Ramadhani Lwamo as the Executive Secretary of the Mining Commission and encouraged him to serve with professionalism and diligence to uphold the trust of President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan.
Earlier, the Director of Policy and Planning at the Ministry of Minerals, Augustine Olal, shared insights on the success of a gemstone auction held in Mirerani on December 14, 2024.
The auction, which featured 47 successful bids, generated TZS 1.13 billion, with TZS 80 million in government revenue.
The Ministry of Minerals is steadfast in its efforts to achieve its annual revenue target of TZS 1 trillion.
This aligns with the objectives of Tanzania’s National Development Vision 2025 and the CCM Election Manifesto, which aim for the mining sector to contribute 10% to the GDP by 2025.
