Finance Minister Ambassador Khamis Mussa Omar has described Tanga as one of Tanzania's most strategically positioned regions, saying its transport infrastructure, industrial base and tourism potential place it at the centre of the country's long-term economic transformation.
Speaking on Sunday during a meeting with Tanga Regional Commissioner Batilda Buriani at the start of his three-day working visit to the region, Omar said Tanga's location and economic assets make it a vital contributor to national growth and regional trade.
He said the region's strategic advantages, led by the Port of Tanga, have strengthened its role as a gateway for trade within East Africa while supporting the expansion of manufacturing and other productive sectors.
"Tanga has all the ingredients needed to accelerate economic growth, including a strategic port, industrial opportunities and strong investment potential," Omar said.
The minister urged residents to capitalise on opportunities created under the 2026/27 national budget, particularly programmes aimed at empowering youth, women and other special groups through concessional loans provided by local government authorities.
He also pointed to recent tax reforms intended to stimulate entrepreneurship, noting that newly established businesses are exempt from paying income tax during their first year of operation, a move designed to encourage business creation and formalisation.
Omar further called on Tanzanians to take advantage of opportunities in public procurement, saying government policy now reserves contracts valued at TZS 50 billion and below exclusively for locally owned companies.
"All public procurement contracts worth TZS 50 billion or less are reserved for indigenous Tanzanian firms. Our businesses should seize these opportunities to expand and create jobs," he said.
For her part, Regional Commissioner Buriani said Tanga's extensive infrastructure—including its port, railway network, roads and reliable energy supply—positions the region to play a leading role in Tanzania's ambition of building a USD 1 trillion economy by 2050.
She credited ongoing public investment under President Samia Suluhu Hassan's administration for improving the region's investment climate through upgrades to the Port of Tanga, Tanga Airport, road networks, healthcare facilities and schools.
Buriani said the projects had unlocked new economic opportunities, attracted investment and strengthened the region's capacity to support national development.
The Finance Minister's visit will include inspections of major government-funded development projects and meetings with stakeholders to assess progress in implementing initiatives aimed at boosting economic growth and improving public service delivery in the region.
