Minister of Minerals Anthony Mavunde on Friday inaugurated the Rafiki Briquettes Factory in Tabora Region, a flagship investment aimed at expanding clean cooking energy and reducing dependence on firewood and traditional charcoal, particularly in tobacco curing.
The Sh3 billion plant, with a production capacity of 20 tonnes per day, is part of the government’s implementation of directives issued by President Samia Suluhu Hassan to promote alternative energy sources in tobacco-growing areas.
The initiative is expected to ease pressure on forests while improving efficiency and sustainability in the tobacco value chain.
Speaking during the launch on February 21, 2026, Mr Mavunde said the factory would enable tobacco farmers in Tabora to cure their crop using briquettes instead of firewood, benefiting growers who collectively produce an estimated 95,000 tonnes of tobacco annually.
“The shift to alternative energy will significantly reduce tree cutting, protect the environment and support farmers with a reliable and affordable energy source,” he said.
The minister also directed the board of the State Mining Corporation, STAMICO, to scale up coal production at its Kiwira Mine, noting that the country’s substantial coal reserves could play a key role in supporting clean energy initiatives and power generation.
He warned that continued reliance on polluting energy sources poses serious health and environmental risks, adding that the government targets having more than 84 per cent of Tanzanians using clean and safe cooking energy by 2034.
STAMICO Director General Dr Venance Mwasse said the factory advances national priorities on value addition and clean energy promotion.
He noted that, alongside the Mwanza Precious Metals Refinery, the corporation has expanded into producing and distributing Rafiki Briquettes made from coal sourced at Kiwira.
Dr Mwasse said construction of another briquettes factory is underway in Dodoma, with five more planned in different regions, including Geita, bringing the total number of such plants to six nationwide.
He added that the briquettes have been certified by the Tanzania Bureau of Standards and that the Tabora facility alone is expected to create about 200 direct and indirect jobs.
STAMICO board chairperson Ambassador Simon Sirro stressed the importance of strong governance and efficiency in running the corporation, saying the briquettes already have a ready market due to their quality.
He called for increased production to meet rising demand and said the board would continue implementing government directives, growing revenues and remitting dividends to the Treasury.
Chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Energy and Minerals, Subira Mgalu, praised STAMICO for supporting the clean cooking agenda, noting that the share of households using clean cooking energy has risen from six per cent to 27 per cent. She pledged continued parliamentary backing for initiatives led by the Ministry of Minerals.
The launch event also saw the issuance of certificates and containers to Rafiki Briquettes agents in five regions Tabora, Kigoma, Katavi, Rukwa and Singida.
In addition, STAMICO signed a memorandum of understanding with the Western Tobacco Growers Cooperative Union (WETCU) to link tobacco farmers in Tabora with the corporation for the use of briquettes in tobacco curing.