The government has moved a step closer to overhauling public procurement and supply chain management systems after collecting stakeholders’ views on a draft national strategy aimed at making supply chains more efficient, transparent and environmentally sustainable over the next decade.
The Ministry of Finance convened a two-day consultative meeting in Morogoro to validate the Draft National Sustainable Supply Chain Management Strategy (2026–2037), bringing together procurement experts, regulators, academics and representatives from public institutions to scrutinise the document before its approval and rollout.
The proposed strategy is expected to guide how government institutions procure goods, services and works while embedding sustainability principles, accountability and value-for-money considerations into public spending.
Closing the meeting, Acting Assistant Commissioner in the Ministry’s Public Procurement Policy Department, Mr Omary Mhina, said stakeholder participation was critical in ensuring the strategy responds to emerging challenges in procurement and supply chain management.
“We have received valuable recommendations from participants. The ministry will review and incorporate the agreed improvements before returning the revised document to stakeholders for final verification,” he said.
Mr Mhina noted that the strategy is designed to strengthen governance in public procurement while supporting the implementation of Tanzania’s Vision 2050, the National Supply Chain Management Policy of 2025 and the Public Procurement Act.
Analysts say the move reflects a growing recognition that procurement systems play a central role in public service delivery, economic development and environmental stewardship.
Public procurement accounts for a significant share of government expenditure, making efficient supply chain management essential for ensuring that public resources generate maximum impact.
Participants at the meeting highlighted the need for the strategy to balance economic efficiency with environmental and social considerations, particularly as Tanzania seeks to align its development agenda with global sustainability commitments.
Speaking on behalf of participants, National Environmental Management Council (NEMC) Morogoro and Rufiji Zone Manager, Mr Arnold Mapinduzi, said environmental considerations must become an integral part of procurement decisions across public institutions.
He observed that sustainable procurement practices can help reduce environmental degradation while encouraging responsible production and consumption patterns within supply chains.
“The involvement of various stakeholders in reviewing this strategy is important because it ensures environmental conservation issues are fully incorporated into procurement and supply chain systems,” he said.
Acting Director of the Procurement and Supplies Unit at the President’s Office – Planning and Investment, Ms Upeo Sanga, described the workshop as a valuable platform that enabled stakeholders to critically assess the draft and contribute ideas that would strengthen its implementation.
The consultation attracted participants from the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), the Bank of Tanzania (BoT), the Public Procurement Appeals Authority (PPAA), the Procurement and Supplies Professionals and Technicians Board (PSPTB), Mzumbe University and other institutions involved in procurement and supply chain management.
Experts attending the workshop noted that modern supply chain systems are increasingly expected to go beyond cost considerations and incorporate environmental protection, ethical sourcing and long-term resilience. Such approaches, they argued, are becoming essential as governments worldwide seek to improve efficiency while addressing climate and sustainability concerns.
Once approved, the National Sustainable Supply Chain Management Strategy will provide a roadmap for public institutions to strengthen procurement processes, improve accountability and integrate sustainability principles into decision-making through 2037.
For Tanzania, the strategy is expected to serve as a key instrument in modernising public procurement and ensuring that government spending contributes not only to economic growth but also to broader environmental and social development goals.
