Tanzania is stepping up investment in gemstone processing skills, technology and infrastructure in a push to retain more value from its mineral resources, create jobs and expand opportunities for local businesses.
The government wants the Tanzania Gemmological Centre (TGC) to become a key institution in developing local expertise and supporting the processing of gemstones and precious metals, reducing dependence on the export of minerals without sufficient local value addition.
Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Minerals, Msafiri Mbibo, said this on Thursday, October 29, 2026, during the inauguration of the TGC Board in Arusha, emphasising the importance of building domestic capacity across the gemstone value chain.
He said investment in technical skills, modern equipment and specialised services was necessary to ensure that the country derived greater economic benefits from its mineral resources.
The initiative comes as Tanzania seeks to expand local participation in mineral processing, an area with potential to generate employment, support entrepreneurship and increase earnings from the mining sector.
As part of the investment, the government is constructing an eight-storey building for TGC using domestic funds. The project has reached 21 percent completion, Mr Mbibo said.
The government is also procuring modern machinery and equipment to improve the centre's training capacity and strengthen the delivery of specialised services.
TGC provides certificate and diploma training, gemstone identification, mineral-based product manufacturing, research and consultancy services.
These activities are intended to equip Tanzanians with practical skills needed in gemstone identification, cutting, processing and jewellery production, creating opportunities beyond mineral extraction.
Mr Mbibo said the centre had an important role in strengthening the gemstone and precious metals value chains by developing professionals who could support different stages of production and processing.
He urged the newly inaugurated Board, chaired by Dr George Mofulu, to ensure that public investment in the institution translated into measurable improvements in its performance and contribution to the mining sector.
He stressed the importance of integrity, professionalism and accountability, particularly in managing the centre's budget, projects and government resources.
The Board was also directed to align TGC's plans with the Ministry of Minerals' priorities and Tanzania Development Vision 2050.
Dr Mofulu thanked the government for the confidence placed in the Board, saying it would provide strategic and professional guidance to strengthen the institution.
He said the Board's priority would be to improve TGC's performance and position it as a leading centre for gemstone value addition in the region.
Acting TGC Coordinator, Engineer Ally Maganga, said the management was ready to work closely with the Board and implement its recommendations to achieve the institution's objectives.
He said effective cooperation between the Board and management would be essential in improving services, strengthening professional training and expanding the centre's contribution to the mining industry.
The investment is part of the government's efforts to implement its Vision 2030 strategy, Minerals are Life and Wealth, which seeks to maximise the contribution of mineral resources to national development.
For Tanzania, the success of the initiative will depend not only on the completion of the new building and acquisition of modern equipment, but also on whether local miners, entrepreneurs and young professionals can translate the improved capacity into viable processing businesses, decent jobs and greater economic returns from gemstones.
Building that capacity could help the country retain a larger share of the value generated from its gemstone resources while strengthening its position in the regional and international gemstone industry.