The Tanzania National Roads Agency (TANROADS), under the Sixth Phase Government led by President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, has praised its strong collaboration with the World Bank in financing and supervising major infrastructure projects across the country.
Speaking during a monitoring session for the Tanzania Transport Integration Project for Sustainability (TANTIP), TANROADS’ Director of Development Projects, Eng. Japherson Nnko, described the partnership as a model of how Tanzania and the World Bank jointly implement strategic initiatives to enhance transport services and logistics, while factoring in the impacts of climate change.
The seven ongoing projects, which include both road and airport developments, are financed with a total of USD 550 million (around TZS 1.3 trillion). Roads under construction connect key regions such as Kagera, Iringa, Mtwara, Masasi, Rutukila, and Songea, while airport works are underway at Tanga, Lake Manyara, and Iringa.
At Tanga and Lake Manyara, efforts focus on constructing runways, taxiways, passenger terminals, and support facilities. In Iringa, the passenger terminal is under construction, with the runway and auxiliary buildings already completed.
Eng. Nnko highlighted that the projects have created over 1,300 jobs for Tanzanians, including a significant proportion of women, and noted that employment opportunities are expected to rise as other phases of the projects commence.
He stressed TANROADS’ commitment to nurturing strategic partnerships with development agencies like the World Bank to enhance efficiency and ensure infrastructure contributes fully to national economic growth.
Discussions are also ongoing on potential additional financing, particularly for road maintenance, to extend project longevity and improve transport services.
Completion of these projects, Eng. Nnko added, is expected to boost economic activity, particularly in southern regions such as Ruvuma and Mtwara, where investment is growing rapidly.
He expressed gratitude to the Government for maintaining strong relations with development partners, emphasizing that such collaboration plays a critical role in improving Tanzania’s infrastructure. All TANTIP projects are anticipated to be completed by 2027.