As cities across Sub-Saharan Africa continue to expand at an unprecedented pace, Tanzania is taking early action to prevent chaotic urban growth that often leaves governments grappling with costly infrastructure challenges years later.
The government says controlling unplanned settlements on the outskirts of major cities has become a national priority as urban populations continue to rise.
Speaking at the 13th World Urban Forum in Cairo, the Minister of State in the Prime Ministry's Office for Regional Administration and Local Government (PMO-RALG), Prof. Riziki Shemdoe, said Tanzania had adopted a long-term strategy aimed at guiding urban expansion before informal settlements become deeply rooted.
The minister noted that some of the country’s largest urban centres, including Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Mwanza, Mbeya and Arusha, are spreading rapidly toward surrounding areas, increasing pressure on land, infrastructure and public services.
Without proper planning, he warned, cities risk becoming overwhelmed by informal housing, unemployment and overstretched services such as water supply, electricity and sanitation.
“Urban growth that happens without proper planning creates scattered settlements and economic challenges. Extending roads, drainage systems, electricity and water services to already congested settlements is far more expensive than planning infrastructure before construction begins,” Prof. Shemdoe said.
To address the challenge, the government has introduced new urban planning and development control guidelines, alongside measures aimed at protecting green spaces and improving land management.
Authorities are also increasingly relying on digital planning systems and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to formalise settlements and allocate surveyed plots in rapidly growing peri-urban areas.
The minister cited the Tanzania Cities Transforming Infrastructure and Competitiveness Programme (TACTIC), currently being implemented in 45 urban centres, as one of the flagship interventions intended to improve roads, markets and flood control systems.
He added that the Dar es Salaam Metropolitan Development Project (DMDP), now in its first and second phases, is focused on building infrastructure capable of withstanding the effects of climate change.
Beyond the major cities, the government is investing heavily in secondary towns and surrounding districts through the construction of 28 modern markets, agricultural processing centres and the development of the Kwala Economic Zone.
The strategy, according to Prof. Shemdoe, is intended to create jobs closer to where people live while reducing migration pressure and uncontrolled expansion in Dar es Salaam.
He said the construction of more than 15 large markets and efforts to strengthen the informal sector, particularly for youth and small-scale traders, form part of the country’s broader plan to support urban economic growth and reduce unemployment.
Urbanisation experts have long warned that many African cities are paying a heavy price for delayed planning, with governments spending billions to retrofit roads, drainage and utilities into densely populated informal settlements.
Tanzania’s approach signals a shift toward preventive urban planning — focusing on structured expansion, resilient infrastructure and balanced economic development before cities become difficult and expensive to manage.
With urban populations expected to continue rising over the coming decades, the government believes early planning will be critical in building sustainable, inclusive and climate-resilient cities for future generations.