The Business Registrations and Licensing Agency (BRELA) has exceeded several of its performance targets in the 2025/26 financial year, registering growth in company registrations, business formalisation, industrial licensing and intellectual property protection as Tanzania continues efforts to strengthen its private sector-led economy.
BRELA Chief Executive Officer Godfrey Nyaisa said the agency's achievements demonstrate its growing role in creating a more inclusive and efficient business environment that supports entrepreneurship, investment and innovation.
Speaking during a staff strategic meeting in Morogoro on June 20, 2026, Mr Nyaisa said the agency had continued to expand access to registration and licensing services while modernising its operations through digital transformation.
“BRELA has continued to improve service delivery, strengthen digital systems and expand business formalisation initiatives across the country despite various economic and environmental challenges,” he said.
The agency's Acting Manager for Planning, Research and Innovation, Ms Alinda Lema, said the results were achieved through the successful implementation of BRELA's 2021/22–2025/26 Strategic Plan, which focused on improving the business climate, strengthening technology systems and enhancing operational efficiency.
According to BRELA data, the number of companies registered in Tanzania increased to 19,264 in the 2025/26 financial year from 18,541 recorded in the previous year, representing a four percent increase.
The registration of business names also recorded significant growth, rising by 14 percent from 31,123 to 35,362 registrations.
The increase signals growing participation by entrepreneurs in the formal economy and reflects increasing confidence in the country's business environment.
The agency also reported strong growth in industrial licensing. The number of industrial licences issued rose by 50 percent from 435 in 2024/25 to 651 in 2025/26, highlighting continued investment in productive sectors of the economy.
Intellectual property protection also gained momentum during the period. Patent grants more than doubled from 30 to 61, representing a 103 percent increase and indicating growing innovation activity among local inventors.
Registrations of trade and service marks rose by 10 percent from 3,148 to 3,455, providing stronger legal protection for brands and businesses operating in Tanzania.
Analysts say the growth in registrations and intellectual property protection is important for improving Tanzania's competitiveness, attracting investment and supporting the government's industrialisation agenda.
Beyond registration services, BRELA intensified compliance and awareness campaigns aimed at encouraging voluntary compliance with licensing and registration requirements.
The agency conducted educational inspections in Dar es Salaam's Kariakoo business district, one of East Africa's largest commercial hubs, to raise awareness among traders about legal and regulatory obligations.
BRELA also carried out inspections of Beneficial Ownership records in Arusha Region as part of broader efforts to improve transparency and strengthen corporate governance.
The agency complemented these initiatives with nationwide public education campaigns delivered through seminars, business clinics, trade fairs, radio and television programmes as well as partnerships with business associations.
A major milestone during the year was the launch of the BRELA Online Services (BOS) platform, which integrates services that were previously offered through separate systems.
The new platform enables users to access company registration, business name registration, patents, trade and service marks, and licensing services through a single digital portal, reducing administrative burdens and improving service accessibility.
Looking ahead, BRELA has unveiled ambitious targets for the 2026/27 financial year, seeking to increase business formalisation and innovation protection by about 17 percent.
The agency plans to register 24,103 new companies, 40,460 business names, 4,500 trade and service marks and 40 patents. It also aims to issue 29,533 business licences and 638 industrial licences.
Ms Lema said the agency's plans are aligned with Tanzania's Development Vision 2050, the Fourth Five-Year Development Plan and BRELA's new strategic framework covering the period from 2026/27 to 2030/31.
She said BRELA would also undertake a comprehensive review of registration and licensing laws and regulations to ensure they remain responsive to technological advancements and the changing needs of businesses.
The reforms, she noted, are expected to improve the ease of doing business, strengthen investor confidence and support Tanzania's ambition to become a leading investment and business hub in Africa.
