Tanzania’s digital transformation of public procurement is gaining momentum, with the Electronic Government Procurement System (NeST) facilitating tenders worth TZS 14.5 trillion in the 2025/26 financial year, a move expected to strengthen transparency, competition and accountability in the use of public funds.
The government said increased adoption of the NeST platform has improved efficiency in procurement processes while creating more opportunities for local suppliers to participate in government contracts.
Speaking during the 10th Public Procurement Conference 2026 held at the Arusha International Conference Centre (AICC), Finance Minister Ambassador Khamis Mussa Omar said digital procurement reforms were critical in ensuring value for money and effective management of taxpayers’ resources.
His remarks were delivered by Arusha Regional Administrative Secretary Dr Toba Nguvila.
Dr Nguvila said that by June 30, 2026, a total of 45,270 suppliers had been approved and registered on the NeST platform, with 95 percent being local suppliers.
He said that during the 2025/26 financial year, 181,057 tender awards worth TZS 14.5 trillion were processed through the system, highlighting the growing role of digital technology in government procurement.
“The achievements show that NeST has become an important tool in improving public procurement management, enhancing transparency, increasing competition and ensuring value for money,” Dr Nguvila said.
The expansion of NeST is part of government efforts to modernise procurement systems, reduce inefficiencies and strengthen monitoring of public spending. The system allows procurement processes from supplier registration and tender preparation to contract management and payments to be conducted electronically.
Dr Nguvila said the system had been completed 100 percent and had earned international recognition after Tanzania was selected among the world’s top 20 government digital systems in the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) awards.
He stressed that all public institutions must conduct procurement through NeST, warning that institutions carrying out procurement outside the platform would be breaching the Public Procurement Act.
“The government will continue supervising the use of NeST to ensure all public institutions comply with the law and established procedures,” he said.
He also urged the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) to continue improving the system and integrating it with other government platforms to enhance efficiency, simplify information exchange and strengthen oversight of public funds.
PPRA Director General Dennis Simba said all government institutions must fully comply with public procurement laws, warning that institutions failing to meet legal requirements would be publicly identified.
He said the move was part of broader accountability measures guided by President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s directives on responsible management of public resources.
Mr Simba encouraged procurement professionals and stakeholders attending the conference to use the platform to strengthen their skills and improve standards in public procurement.
The government says public procurement remains a strategic economic tool that supports local industries, expands opportunities for domestic businesses, creates jobs and contributes to Tanzania’s long-term development goals under Development Vision 2050.
