By Alfred Zacharia
Tanzania and Norway have reaffirmed their long-standing partnership, pledging to deepen collaboration in areas critical to sustainable development.
They include rural electrification, education, climate change adaptation, revenue collection, and poverty reduction.
Speaking in Dodoma after meeting with Norway’s Ambassador to Tanzania, Ms. Teni Tone Tennis, Finance Minister Dr. Mwigulu Nchemba said the cooperation has already delivered tangible results, with projects worth over Sh188 billion implemented in recent years.
“Norway has been a close development partner in ensuring sustainable economic growth, including supporting rural electrification in Lindi Region through the Rural Energy Agency, at a value of Sh48.1 billion,” said Dr. Nchemba.
The Minister noted that Norwegian assistance has helped advance gender equality through a Sh4.68 billion scholarship programme for female engineers.
The initiative is part of broader efforts to promote women’s participation in technical fields.
In the area of social protection, Dr. Nchemba highlighted Norway’s contribution of Sh136.5 billion to the Productive Social Safety Net (PSSN II) program, implemented since 2020 under the Tanzania Social Action Fund (TASAF).
The program targets vulnerable households across the country.
“With the PSSN II programme expected to conclude in September 2025, the government is preparing the next phase, PSSN III. This will focus on helping communities cope with climate change and economic shocks. We hope the Government of Norway will continue to support this vital initiative,” said Dr. Nchemba.
He added that Norway’s involvement in strengthening domestic revenue collection dates back to the 1990s, notably through support to the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA). This included backing for the Modern Taxation Program, which concluded in 2022.
“The government is now awaiting the final report from the Presidential Task Force on tax reforms before starting implementation of new recommendations,” he said.
Dr. Nchemba also acknowledged Norway’s alignment with national development priorities, particularly Tanzania’s Vision 2025 and the Third Five-Year Development Plan (2021/22–2025/26).
Norwegian support has been especially strong in sectors such as energy, education, climate change, and inclusive economic growth.
“The Government of Tanzania under the leadership of President Samia Suluhu Hassan remains committed to strengthening this partnership with Norway for the benefit of our citizens,” he said.
In her remarks, Ambassador Tennis pledged Norway’s continued cooperation, citing Tanzania’s infrastructure achievements as a sign of its growing regional influence.
“I commend Tanzania for the progress made in key sectors and encourage the government to maintain this momentum in building an inclusive and sustainable economy,” she said.
She singled out the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) project as a transformative investment for Tanzania and the broader Great Lakes region.
“I would like to sincerely congratulate the government for starting cargo operations through the SGR. This is a major milestone not only for Tanzania but for the entire East African region,” said Ambassador Tennis.
She added that “Through this step, Tanzania is demonstrating leadership that neighbouring countries can learn from.”
She also noted Tanzania’s international visibility is growing due to its advances in transport and infrastructure and its abundance of valuable natural resources, including natural gas, fertile land, and minerals.
The meeting was attended by senior officials from the Ministry of Finance, including Deputy Permanent Secretary Mr Elijah Mwandumbya, Policy Commissioner Mr Johnson Nyella, Director of Administration and Human Resources Mr Lusius Mwenda, Assistant Budget Commissioner Ms Bahati Mgongolwa, and Assistant Commissioner for External Finance Mr Melkizedeck Mbise.
Ambassador Tennis was accompanied by the Norwegian Embassy’s Economic Advisor, Mr Priva Clemence.
