The government has launched a comprehensive implementation strategy aimed at positioning Tanzania to reap full benefits from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), with Industry and Trade Minister Dr Selemani Jafo calling on public institutions to support citizens in accessing the vast continental market.
Speaking during the launch in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday, Dr Jafo said, “Tanzania has already penetrated 18 African countries through AfCFTA, and this strategy is our tool to deepen that engagement.”
He urged government agencies to play a proactive role, stating, “Let us be facilitators, not frustrators,” as the country seeks to scale up trade within the US$3.4 trillion African market.
The National Implementation Strategy is designed to unlock Tanzania’s potential in the 1.4 billion-people market by identifying key trade sectors, removing barriers, and strengthening institutions.
To institutionalise this momentum, the government has designated July 24 of every year as the National Business Clinic Day.
“This marks a serious commitment to eliminate every business barrier,” Dr Jafo declared, adding that the forum will bring together institutions like the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS), and the private sector to find solutions to recurring trade challenges.
Dr Jafo revealed that by June 2025, a total of 43 Tanzanian companies were already trading under the AfCFTA framework, with exports including coffee and sisal products.
“The Tanzania Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (TCCIA) has issued 392 certificates of origin to support these exports,” he said.
He reminded the public that Tanzania ratified the AfCFTA protocol in September 2021 and is among the eight countries participating in the Guided Trade Initiative (GTI), a pilot programme designed to fast-track implementation.
“The strategy alerts us to the obstacles that hinder our full participation in the African market and shows us what to do to succeed,” Dr Jafo said, underscoring the importance of structured interventions.
The strategy focuses on boosting private sector competitiveness through access to soft loans, enhancing e-commerce capabilities, upgrading production capacity, streamlining commercial services, and ensuring the inclusivity of women and youth in trade.
It also aims to harmonise trade-related legal frameworks and strengthen consumer protection. Dr Jafo linked the AfCFTA strategy with Tanzania’s wider industrialisation agenda, which targets the establishment of 9,045 industries and the creation of 6.5 million jobs including 1.04 million direct employment opportunities over the next six years.
He emphasized that achieving these ambitions will require strong cooperation between the public and private sectors. “This cannot be done by government alone,” he noted.
UNDP Deputy Resident Representative Mr John Rutere, who was present at the launch, lauded the strategy as a symbol of Tanzania’s commitment to regional integration.
“As the rest of the globe moves towards closer integration and strengthens trade within regional blocs, it is prime time for Africa to take similar initiatives,” he said. “This is a step forward for achieving Pan-Africanism.”
Mr Rutere highlighted that intra-African trade remains low, accounting for less than 20 percent of African exports, but the AfCFTA opens a new chapter.
“Tanzania is strategically positioned in both the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and is well placed to lead in the global south,” he added.
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister for Transport Mr David Kihenzile said Tanzania’s investment in infrastructure would be vital to AfCFTA’s success.
“The transport sector acts as the blood vein for operationalisation of the AfCFTA,” he said, citing the 2,300-kilometre Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) project valued at over US$10 billion (approx. TSh26 trillion) as a key driver of efficient trade across borders via the Dar es Salaam Port.