Young Tanzanians have been urged to leverage opportunities in the mining sector to improve their economic prospects, with stakeholders stressing that innovation, skills and determination can help transform livelihoods even without substantial start-up capital.
Speaking at the ongoing National Nanenane Agricultural Exhibition in Dodoma, Xinda Energy Resources Technology Import and Export Trade Co. Ltd director, Mr Abia Mafie, said the government has continued to create an enabling environment for youth through training programmes, workshops and empowerment initiatives.
However, he noted that many young people are yet to translate the knowledge and skills acquired through such programmes into viable business ventures and employment opportunities.
“Young people should not wait for the government to provide everything. Many successful entrepreneurs started with limited resources and expanded gradually through hard work and commitment,” said Mr Mafie.
He identified mining as one of Tanzania’s most promising sectors for employment, entrepreneurship and investment, particularly in mineral processing and value addition, areas increasingly viewed as critical to industrial development and economic transformation.
According to Mr Mafie, investments in local mineral processing can generate jobs, strengthen domestic industries and increase earnings from the country’s natural resources.
He said his company has invested in copper processing and is currently producing copper cathodes with a purity level of 99.99 percent, meeting international market standards and supporting the government’s agenda of promoting value addition within the mining industry.
Mr Mafie revealed that Xinda Precious Metal Resources Co. Ltd began constructing its processing plant in 2024 and now has the capacity to produce up to 50 tonnes of copper cathodes per month.
“The market response has been encouraging because the quality of our products meets global requirements,” he said.
The company is planning to establish two additional mineral-processing plants in Dodoma Region as part of efforts to increase production capacity, lower raw material transportation costs and deepen the mining sector’s contribution to the national economy.
Mr Mafie said the planned expansion aligns with Tanzania’s Development Vision 2050, which places emphasis on industrialisation, value addition and private-sector-led growth.
Industry observers say increased investment in mineral beneficiation and processing could help Tanzania retain a larger share of value from its mineral resources while creating employment opportunities for young people and supporting broader economic development.