By Alfred Zacharia
The Business Registrations and Licensing Agency (BRELA) is stepping up efforts to empower business officers across the country, aiming to bring its services closer to entrepreneurs and speed up business formalisation.
Through a nationwide initiative, BRELA is building the capacity of officers under regional and local government authorities to serve as frontline facilitators of business registration and licensing services.
The agency believes that empowering officers already stationed near traders will make business services more accessible and efficient.
“We are strengthening this collaboration so that business officers stop being seen only as revenue collectors and start acting as professional advisors to traders and investors in their areas,” said BRELA Chief Executive Officer Godfrey Nyaisa during the opening of a working session in Morogoro.
The session brought together heads of Industry, Trade and Investment departments from Regional Secretariats and Local Government Authorities (LGAs) to align strategies and share solutions to implementation challenges.
Nyaisa pointed out that despite government reforms—particularly President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s 2022 approval to establish dedicated industry, trade, and investment units within LGAs—many officers still operate under outdated practices.
“Too often, officers focus on collecting fees from markets, auctions and guesthouses instead of playing a proactive role in supporting businesses. That has to change,” he said.
To encourage high performance, BRELA plans to launch an annual awards scheme that will recognise business officers who excel in formalising businesses in their jurisdictions. The agency is developing clear, objective criteria to ensure transparency in selecting top performers.
The initiative is part of a broader push by BRELA to shift the mindset of local officers from enforcement to facilitation—transforming them into catalysts for economic development, not just regulators.
Nyaisa also called on officers to form a national professional association. He said such a body would promote continuous learning, support ethical practices, and raise professional standards—similar to how engineers, lawyers, and accountants operate under structured associations.
“This is a crucial step if we are serious about improving the business environment. A professional body will strengthen accountability and allow officers to share best practices,” he added.
In a major digital shift, BRELA is finalising upgrades to its Online Registration System (ORS). Once launched, the new platform will allow entrepreneurs to access all BRELA services—including Class A and B business licenses—through a single online system.
The agency expects the upgraded system to cut costs, save time, and eliminate the bureaucratic delays that often discourage business formalisation. Analysts view this as a critical milestone in the government’s efforts to streamline regulatory processes and improve Tanzania’s business climate.
The working session ran under the theme: “Promoting Cooperation Between Central Government, Local Government, and Enabling Institutions for Sustainable Industrial and Trade Development.” The theme underscores the need for joint action to support Tanzania’s industrialisation goals and unlock opportunities for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).
With over 90 percent of businesses in Tanzania operating informally, BRELA sees local officers as instrumental in bridging the formalisation gap—provided they are trained, motivated, and digitally equipped to serve the public.