Tanzania is stepping up efforts to attract investment into its mining industry, with the government placing greater emphasis on critical minerals, geological exploration and local processing as it seeks to capture more value from the sector.
Deputy Minister for Minerals Steven Kiruswa said on Thursday that Tanzania was positioning itself as an investment destination at a time when global demand for minerals used in clean-energy technologies is increasing.
Speaking at the 24th Africa Down Under conference in Perth, Dr Kiruswa said the country had significant mineral resources and was working to improve geological information, investment conditions and skills needed to support the sector.
“We have minerals. We are investing in knowledge and skills development, improving the investment environment and are ready to work with investors,” he said.
The mining industry has become increasingly important to Tanzania’s economy, contributing 10.3 percent of gross domestic product in 2025 and accounting for about 53 percent of the country’s total export value, according to figures presented by the ministry.
Gold production rose to about 68 tonnes last year from 61.7 tonnes in 2024, underlining the sector’s growing contribution to exports and government revenues.
But the government is now seeking to broaden the sector beyond gold and other traditional minerals by developing deposits considered strategically important to the global energy transition.
Dr Kiruswa said Tanzania had completed its Critical and Strategic Minerals Strategy, covering minerals including nickel, lithium, helium, cobalt, titanium, copper, aluminium, niobium and rare earth elements.
The strategy is intended to encourage investment while supporting processing and beneficiation inside Tanzania, rather than relying primarily on exports of unprocessed minerals.
“This is about building value chains through processing and beneficiation in Tanzania,” Dr Kiruswa said.
One of the challenges facing mineral investors is the cost and uncertainty associated with exploration, particularly before commercially viable deposits are confirmed.
The government says it is seeking to address this through increased investment in geological research.
Under the Mineral Research Fund, 10 percent of mineral revenues will be directed towards geological research, while the Geological Survey of Tanzania has completed about 98 percent of geological mapping across the country.
The government wants detailed geological exploration to cover 50 percent of Tanzania by 2030, up from about 16 percent currently.
Dr Kiruswa said better geological information would help reduce risks for investors and make it easier to identify commercially viable mineral deposits.
Tanzania is also pointing to several large-scale projects as evidence of the opportunities available in the sector.
The Nyanzaga gold project has reached about 65 percent completion and is expected to start production in the first quarter of 2027.
At Kabanga Nickel, investment discussions involving more than $500 million are continuing, while the Mahenge Graphite project is expected to begin commercial production in 2028.
The government also highlighted the Panda Hill niobium project and ongoing operations at established mines including Geita, North Mara and Bulyanhulu.
The projects are expected to contribute to exports, government revenue, employment and the development of mineral-related industries.
Dr Kiruswa said Tanzania was also implementing reforms aimed at giving investors greater certainty and improving the efficiency of the sector.
The measures include changes to framework agreements, digitalisation of mineral licensing, strengthening local-content requirements and expanding mineral markets and buying centres.
The government is also offering incentives to qualifying mining investors, including 100 percent deductions for eligible capital expenditure and exploration costs.
Qualifying projects may also involve government equity participation of up to 16 percent, alongside financing guarantee mechanisms for eligible miners.
For Tanzania, the challenge is increasingly shifting from attracting investment into mining itself to ensuring that more of the economic value generated by the sector remains in the country.
The government hopes greater investment in exploration, processing and mineral-related industries will help create a broader economic impact beyond the extraction of raw materials.
Dr Kiruswa urged investors attending the Perth conference to visit Tanzania and explore opportunities in the country, saying the government was prepared to engage investors on challenges affecting projects.
He also invited potential investors to attend the Tanzania Mining and Investment Conference (TMIC) 2026, scheduled for November 19-21 in Dar es Salaam.
The conference is expected to provide another platform for Tanzania to showcase investment opportunities as it seeks to expand mining beyond extraction and strengthen the country’s position in global mineral supply chains.