The Minister of Finance, Ambassador Khamis Mussa Omar, has led a high-level meeting to review and align Tanzania’s agenda ahead of the African Caucus Meeting scheduled for 2026 in Banjul, The Gambia.
The meeting brought together senior government officials, including the Minister of Finance and Planning of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar, Dr. Juma Malik Akil, and Tanzania’s Ambassador to Nigeria, who is also accredited to The Gambia, Ambassador Selestine Kakele.
Ambassador Omar commended Ambassador Kakele for his strong performance in representing Tanzania and advancing economic diplomacy through promoting trade and investment opportunities in West Africa.
He said Tanzania continues to offer wide investment opportunities across key sectors such as agriculture, tourism, and financial services.
He called on investors from The Gambia, Nigeria, and other West African countries to take advantage of Tanzania’s growing economic potential and strengthen trade and investment cooperation.
Ambassador Omar further noted that Tanzania has for a long time depended heavily on Western markets in the tourism sector, saying the country is now working to diversify its tourism source markets by attracting more visitors and investors from African countries.
He highlighted ongoing efforts by the government to improve air connectivity through the Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL), including plans to strengthen direct flight routes between Tanzania and Nigeria.
He said improved air transport links will help boost tourism, trade, and business exchange between African countries.
According to him, stronger intra-African connectivity is key to unlocking economic opportunities and advancing continental integration.
Presenting the Embassy’s progress report, Ambassador Selestine Kakele said Tanzania’s mission in Nigeria continues to implement economic diplomacy by promoting trade, investment, and business partnerships across West Africa.
He said exports of agricultural products reached about 38 million US dollars in the 2024/2025 financial year, reflecting growing trade relations between Tanzania and West African countries.
He added that sisal remains one of Tanzania’s leading export products in the Nigerian market, accounting for about 20 percent of national production.
He also noted that, according to data from the Tanzania Investment and Special Economic Zones Authority (TISEZA), Tanzania has attracted investments worth about 1.8 billion US dollars from West African countries, showing increasing confidence in the country’s investment environment.
Ambassador Kakele said several companies from West Africa have shown interest in investing in Tanzania, and discussions are ongoing to finalize new investment agreements.
The African Caucus Meeting is a three-day forum expected to bring together African leaders, finance ministers, policymakers, development partners, economists, and representatives from international financial institutions.
The meeting will focus on key economic and development challenges facing Africa, and will help shape a common African position in engagement with global financial institutions, including the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
