The Tanzanian government has expressed interest in attracting fresh investments from Dangote Group in fertiliser production, energy and industrial infrastructure as part of efforts to accelerate the country’s economic development and strengthen regional industrialisation.
Minister of State in the President’s Office responsible for Planning and Investment, Hon. Prof. Kitila A. Mkumbo, disclosed this during a visit by a Tanzanian delegation to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals in Lagos.
Mkumbo said the visit was part of efforts to follow up on earlier discussions between Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan and President and Chief Executive of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, on expanding the company’s investment footprint in Tanzania.
He noted that Dangote already operates Tanzania’s largest cement manufacturing plant, with an investment valued at about $800 million, describing the company as an important contributor to the country’s industrial development.
The Minister said Tanzania was particularly interested in Dangote’s experience in fertiliser production and refinery operations, which he described as critical to expanding industrial capacity and supporting economic growth across East Africa.
“We have come here to make a follow-up on what they deliberated with our President in terms of further Dangote investments in Tanzania,” Mkumbo said.
He said deeper cooperation with Dangote Group would also support economic integration across Africa under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), stressing that the continent must shift from strong political relationships to greater economic integration driven by industrialisation.
“Africa now needs economic liberation, and that can only come through industrialisation,” he said.
Mkumbo described Dangote as a leading African industrialist whose investments are increasingly contributing to development beyond Nigeria, adding that Tanzania was interested in partnering with the group to strengthen regional manufacturing capacity and advance Pan-African industrialisation.
The Minister also highlighted the importance of expanding local refining capacity to strengthen Africa’s energy security and reduce the continent’s vulnerability to disruptions in global oil markets.
He cited recent tensions around the Strait of Hormuz and their impact on global fuel prices as evidence of the need for African countries to develop stronger domestic refining capacity.
According to him, facilities such as the Dangote Petroleum Refinery could help cushion African economies against external energy shocks by increasing the availability of locally refined petroleum products.
Mkumbo said affordable and reliable energy remained a critical driver of economic development, noting that increased refining capacity across Africa could help lower energy costs and improve living standards.