Minister for Industry and Trade Judith Kapinga has urged Tanzanians to visit the 49th Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair (DITF), popularly known as Sabasaba, saying this year's exhibition presents expanded opportunities for business, investment and value addition as the country intensifies efforts to build an industrial-led economy.
Speaking after touring exhibition pavilions at the Sabasaba grounds on Thursday, Kapinga said the annual fair has become more than a marketplace, evolving into a platform where businesses, investors and innovators connect while showcasing Tanzania's industrial progress and economic potential.
The exhibition, which opened on June 28, is scheduled to be officially inaugurated on July 3 by Mozambique's President, Daniel Francisco Chapo, who will attend as the guest of honour alongside his host, President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
Kapinga said this year's event has attracted 3,722 exhibitors from Tanzania and abroad, including participants from 23 countries displaying products, technologies, services and investment opportunities across various sectors.
"The exhibition has been a great success. We invite all Tanzanians to come and witness the remarkable progress taking place in the trade and industrial sectors. There is much to learn about business, investment and how we can add value to products produced in our country," she said.
According to the minister, visitors will also have an opportunity to see the results of government initiatives aimed at economically empowering women and young people through credit facilities and other support programmes that have enabled entrepreneurs to process and market value-added products instead of exporting raw materials.
She said the exhibition demonstrates the government's progress in promoting small and medium-sized industries while strengthening agricultural value chains to increase competitiveness and create more employment opportunities.
Kapinga noted that this year's trade fair coincides with the implementation of Tanzania's Development Vision 2050, which officially came into effect on Thursday and seeks to transform the country into a competitive industrial economy driven by manufacturing, innovation and exports.
"We have demonstrated that we are ready to implement this vision. More products are now being processed locally instead of being sold in raw form, while exhibitors are showcasing machinery, technology and innovations that will accelerate industrial development," she said.
She added that the exhibition offers practical lessons for entrepreneurs seeking to improve product quality, embrace technology and expand into regional and international markets, describing the fair as an important catalyst for industrial transformation.
Kapinga said organisers have introduced visitor-friendly services, including shuttle vehicles to help visitors move around the expansive exhibition grounds, and encouraged the public to continue visiting the fair until it closes on July 13.
She added that a special Golden Jubilee celebration will be held on July 6, with Vice-President Emmanuel Nchimbi expected to officiate, while the closing ceremony on July 13 will be presided over by Zanzibar President Hussein Ali Mwinyi.
