Tanzania has stepped up efforts to attract pharmaceutical investors as it moves to expand local medicine production and establish itself as a healthcare manufacturing hub in Africa.
The government has invited Chinese pharmaceutical company Humanwell Healthcare (Group) Co., Ltd. to set up a manufacturing plant at the Mloganzila Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices Special Economic Zone near Dar es Salaam, a move expected to strengthen access to medicines and reduce reliance on imports.
The invitation was extended during a visit by Tanzania’s Minister of Health to Humanwell’s headquarters in Wuhan, China, where he held talks with senior company executives, including Chief Operating Officer Chenggang Zheng and Chairman of the Humanwell Africa Business Unit Wensheng Li.
The minister said Tanzania sees the potential partnership as a strategic step towards achieving greater self-reliance in pharmaceutical production while supporting healthcare needs across the country and the wider African market.
“Humanwell Healthcare’s story speaks deeply to us,” the minister said, praising the company’s transformation into a global pharmaceutical player with investments beyond China, including in Africa.
He cited Humanwell’s experience in pharmaceutical manufacturing in countries such as Mali and Ethiopia as an example of the kind of industrial partnership Tanzania seeks to develop in East Africa.
The minister said Tanzania’s push for local pharmaceutical manufacturing is anchored on the principle of kujitegemea (self-reliance), with the government working to create conditions that encourage investment and technology transfer.
He said reforms have been implemented to strengthen the business environment, including improving the regulatory framework of the Tanzania Medicines and Medical Devices Authority to ensure compliance with international standards.
According to the minister, Tanzania’s geographical position gives pharmaceutical investors an opportunity to serve a large regional market beyond the country’s borders.
A manufacturing facility in Tanzania would provide access to more than 65 million Tanzanians as well as consumers in the East African Community, Southern African Development Community and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
He described the Mloganzila Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices Special Economic Zone as a key pillar of Tanzania’s pharmaceutical industrialisation agenda, noting that the area has been planned specifically to support medicine and medical equipment production.
“Mloganzila is not a promise on paper. It is land allocated, infrastructure planned, and investors already committed,” he told Humanwell executives.
The minister highlighted incentives available to investors operating in the zone, including tax and import duty benefits on eligible machinery and raw materials, investment protection measures, profit repatriation guarantees and faster approval processes for specialised personnel.
He said Tanzania’s offer goes beyond incentives, with the government ready to work closely with investors to overcome operational challenges and ensure successful projects.
The minister invited Humanwell to establish a manufacturing base in Tanzania, particularly drawing on its expertise in areas such as anaesthesia, analgesia and advanced pharmaceutical formulations.
“Come and establish a manufacturing facility in Tanzania. Come to Mloganzila. Bring your technology and experience. Let Tanzania be your gateway to East and Southern Africa,” he said.
The proposed investment comes as Tanzania intensifies efforts to build domestic pharmaceutical capacity, create industrial jobs and improve the availability of quality medicines.
The minister said stronger cooperation between Tanzania and China could help accelerate healthcare improvements through local production and technology exchange.
“Tanzania’s door is open. Mloganzila is ready, and we are waiting to welcome you,” he said.
