Limited access to finance, modern technology and technical skills remains a major barrier to women seeking to expand their footprint in Tanzania’s manufacturing sector, a new assessment has found.
The findings were discussed on Friday, September 18, 2026, during a validation workshop organised by the Tanzania Women Chamber of Commerce (TWCC), bringing together government officials, private-sector representatives and women entrepreneurs.
The assessment examined the environment in which women operate in manufacturing, highlighting opportunities while identifying legal, economic and operational challenges that continue to limit their participation and performance.
TWCC president CPA Mercy Silla said addressing the barriers would require closer cooperation between the government and private sector, particularly in creating practical opportunities for women to invest and expand their businesses.
“Women need an environment that allows them to participate meaningfully in production and contribute to national development,” she said.
She said TWCC was committed to contributing to the implementation of the National Development Vision 2050, noting that the chamber was among institutions that had signed agreements supporting the vision.
For women already in business, however, the challenge is not simply entering the manufacturing sector but gaining the resources needed to compete and grow.
TWCC executive director Dr Mwajuma Hamza said access to capital, technology, markets and technical knowledge remained critical to improving the productivity and competitiveness of women-owned businesses.
She said strengthening these areas would give more women an opportunity to move into higher-value production and expand their contribution to the industrial economy.
The workshop brought together representatives from the Ministry of Industry and Trade, President’s Office – Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG), National Economic Empowerment Council, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Ministry of Planning and Investment and Ministry of Finance.
Other participants included the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, Business Registrations and Licensing Agency (BRELA), Small Industries Development Organisation (SIDO), Confederation of Tanzania Industries (CTI), Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF) and Tanzania Investment and Special Economic Zones Authority (TISEZA).
Participants reviewed the assessment’s findings and proposed measures to address barriers facing women in manufacturing, including access to financing, production technology and technical training.
They also examined legal and regulatory challenges affecting women investors, with discussions aimed at identifying policy measures that could make the industrial business environment more responsive to their needs.
The validation workshop is expected to help refine the assessment before its findings and recommendations are used to inform future interventions.
For TWCC, the broader objective is to strengthen cooperation between government and the private sector while ensuring women are not left on the margins of Tanzania’s industrialisation drive.
As the country seeks to increase manufacturing and private investment, the extent to which women can access capital, technology, skills and markets will remain central to how widely the benefits of industrial growth are shared.