The Government has given the Minister of State in the President’s Office, Planning and Investment, the Minister for Finance, the Minister for Agriculture and the Treasury Registrar two weeks to prepare a plan to begin taking on and developing the capacity of 10,000 young people annually from various professional fields as part of efforts to build the human capital needed to achieve the goals of the National Development Vision 2050.
Vice President of the United Republic of Tanzania, H.E. Deogratius Ndejembi, said Tanzania cannot achieve Dira 2050 without investing in human capital to equip young people with the expertise and skills required to build the economy.
Speaking at the opening of the C-CEOs Forum 2026, which is taking place in Arusha from September 28 to 30, Vice President Ndejembi directed the leaders to come up with the plan within two weeks, stressing that investment in people should be an integral part of implementing Dira 2050.
“Public entities should not be measured only by the level of dividends they contribute, but also by how they increase productivity among young people, who are important to our national development,” he said at the forum, which is coordinated by the Office of the Treasury Registrar (OTR) and sponsored by Tanzania Commercial Bank (TCB).
He said the plan should involve young people from various professional fields and provide them with opportunities to build their capacity so they can contribute to the implementation of national development goals.
Vice President Ndejembi said investment in human capital is fundamental to improving productivity, innovation and the ability of public institutions to respond to the demands of a changing economy.
He said the adoption of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and digital systems, requires people with the skills to use them to improve efficiency and the quality of services.
The directives formed part of the Government’s broader direction for public institutions and entities in implementing Dira 2050, requiring them to add value to Government assets and investments, strengthen competitiveness and productivity, reduce dependence, invest in technology and innovation, and ensure that their performance delivers visible results to citizens.
Vice President Ndejembi said public institutions should not merely safeguard Government assets, but should use them to create greater value and benefits for the nation.
“Do not become merely custodians of assets; become value creators for the assets entrusted to you,” he said, adding that public institutions should serve as engines of economic transformation rather than remain focused solely on administrative functions.
On strengthening competitiveness and productivity, he called on public institutions to increase production, improve service quality, use resources efficiently and build the capacity needed to respond to changing competitive conditions.
The Vice President also directed every public institution to prepare a plan to address the effects of El Niño, stressing the importance of involving the private sector in responding to the challenge.
For chief executives, he said leadership should be measured by the institutional strength and results they leave behind, stressing the importance of preparing future leaders, nurturing talent and building human capital capable of responding to the demands of the future economy.
Minister of State in the President’s Office, Planning and Investment, Prof. Kitila Mkumbo, said implementation of Dira 2050 requires the public and private sectors to work closely together, given the role of each in achieving the country’s development goals.
“Implementation of Dira 2050 requires the public and private sectors to work closely together, given the role of each side in achieving the country’s national development goals,” said Prof Mkumbo.
He said Dira 2050 envisages the public sector contributing 30 per cent of the economy, while the private sector is expected to contribute 70 per cent, making a business- and investment-friendly environment essential for private-sector growth.
“For the private sector to perform well, public institutions must create a conducive environment for business and investment,” Prof Mkumbo said.
Chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Investments, Hon. Masanja Kadogosa, said the committee was satisfied with the pace of reforms undertaken and ongoing in public institutions, but stressed that more work remains to improve performance.
Mr Kadogosa said the institutions should continue improving their production activities and create an environment that enables greater private-sector participation in economic activities.
“We must continue improving our production activities and creating a conducive environment for the private sector, but you must align your plans with Dira 2050,” said Kadogosa, who is also the Minister-designate for Works.
Treasury Registrar Nehemiah Mchechu said the changes must be accompanied by a new approach to measuring the performance of public institutions and entities.
He said performance should not be measured by dividends alone, but also by productivity, service quality, efficient use of resources, financial resilience, innovation, technology adoption, competitiveness and the broader contribution of institutions to the economy.
Mr Mchechu said the increase in the value of Government investments and revenues generated from those investments places greater responsibility on public institutions to ensure that the resources are managed efficiently and continue to generate value.
The value of Government investments in public entities and companies in which it holds minority interests increased from Sh67.95 trillion in 2020/21 to Sh92.28 trillion in 2024/25, while non-tax revenue generated from Government investments rose from Sh637.7 billion in 2020/21 to Sh1.327 trillion in 2025/26.
Mr Mchechu said the trend makes the C-CEOs Forum an important platform for discussing how public institutions can increase their contribution to the economy and align their plans with the objectives of Vision 2050.
The forum is the fourth since its establishment in 2023 and brings together more than 700 participants from public institutions and entities, the private sector, financial institutions, investors, development partners, experts and academics.
C-CEOs Forum 2026 is being held under the theme, “High-Performing Public Entities for a Competitive, Inclusive and Resilient Economy: Advancing Dira 2050,” and seeks to discuss leadership, good governance, innovation, human capital, competitiveness and ways of increasing economic and social value through public institutions.
For his part, TCB Managing Director Adam Mihayo said the bank is ready to work with various stakeholders in implementing Vision 2050, noting that TCB has continued to align its strategies with supporting productive sectors that are consistent with the objectives of the Vision.
He said TCB has been doing so alongside the Government’s reform and economic development agenda, stressing the importance of collaboration between public institutions and the private sector in achieving long-term development goals.