Habari

Dar es Salaam: Tanzania’s transition toward green mobility has gained fresh momentum with the arrival of the country’s first electric dual-cab pickup trucks, powered by Chinese technology and supply partnerships.

Jenga Taifa Pamoja Auto Limited (JTP Auto), a Tanzanian electric mobility company, has worked with leading Chinese original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to introduce affordable electric vehicles (EVs) tailored to local conditions.

Amar Shangavi, founder and chief executive officer of JTP Auto, said the company deliberately chose to partner with Chinese manufacturers because of their global leadership in electric mobility.

“China is leading in electric vehicle technology,” Shangavi told Xinhua in a recent interview.

“Working with OEMs there allows us to customize vehicles to suit Tanzanian conditions while benefiting from proven, large-scale manufacturing.”

A man conducts a test-drive on a pickup truck in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Feb. 14, 2026. (Xinhua/Emmanuel Herman)

While the supply chain is anchored in China, Shangavi said that JTP Auto is majority Tanzanian-owned and focused on building local capacity. The company plans to establish full EV assembly operations in Tanzania within two years, in partnership with the Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology to tap into engineering expertise and accelerate technology transfer.

“Our focus is to build capabilities here at home,” he said. “We want to transfer skills, develop local expertise, and ensure Tanzanians are at the center of this transition.”

JTP Auto introduced electric dual-cab pickups as it targets commercial customers who are more likely to adopt new technologies when there are clear financial benefits.

The cost advantage is significant. According to company data, operating an EV in Tanzania is about 86 percent cheaper per kilometer than running a petrol-powered vehicle. While a conventional car may travel about 10 to 15 kilometers per liter of fuel, electricity costs translate to roughly 25 Tanzanian shillings (about 0.01 U.S. dollar) per kilometer for an EV, compared with around 200 shillings per kilometer for petrol.

“These vehicles are designed for real Tanzanian conditions, commercial use, fleet operations, and daily reliability, while delivering dramatic cost savings,” Shangavi said.

The initial partner in this transition is Smiles Rent-A-Car Services Limited. Kassim Mbilinga, operations manager at Smiles Rent-A-Car Services Limited, based in the port city of Dar es Salaam, said his exposure to EVs abroad convinced him of their potential.

The company has already installed charging equipment at its offices to support the new electric fleet, anticipating broader adoption as infrastructure expands.

A man demonstrates the pickup truck charger in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Feb. 14, 2026. (Xinhua/Emmanuel Herman)

To address concerns about driving range and charging availability, JTP Auto is developing high-speed charging stations, starting in Dar es Salaam. The company is in the final stages of confirming the installation of two 120-kilowatt public charging stations in the commercial capital.

Over the next two years, JTP Auto plans to expand the network to key transport corridors, including Chalinze, Bagamoyo, Tanga, Arusha, Dodoma, and Iringa, enabling cross-country electric travel.

The Tanzanian government has signaled support for local manufacturing and clean energy investment. EVs align with the country’s broader economic priorities. By reducing fuel imports, Tanzania can ease foreign exchange pressures and retain more capital within the domestic economy, while increased electricity consumption supports national utilities and infrastructure development.

The shift toward electric mobility is expected to reduce urban air pollution and contribute to Tanzania’s climate goals. It also positions the country within a broader continental trend, as African economies increasingly explore EV adoption.

Mbilinga believes the transition is inevitable. “The whole world is moving toward electric vehicles,” he said. “We should not see electric cars as something strange; they are simply the next step.”  

Dodoma: THE Minister for Finance, Khamis Mussa Omar, has said that Tanzania holds a strategic position as a hub for trade and transport in the East and Central Africa region, with its geography and natural resources offering major economic opportunities that must be fully and efficiently utilized.

The Minister made the statement in a meeting with the Customs and Excise Department of the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) and praised its operations in managing cargo entering and passing through the country, noting that these efforts have significantly contributed to tax collection.

Speaking during his visit to the Customs Department, he said that the department’s activities play a vital role in revenue collection across all sectors, as even goods brought into the market pass through the customs system.

Elaborating, he said that the customs department facilitates trade both domestically and internationally while calling for strengthening measures against smuggling.

He warned that cargo cleared without proper payment of duties ends up in the market untaxed, reducing government revenue and distorting market competition.

Moreover, the minister stated that Tanzania benefits from a seaport through the Port of Dar es Salaam, which allows it to serve not only neighboring countries but also several landlocked nations.

Speaking earlier, the  TRA Board Chairman, Uledi Mussa Abasi, noted that the use of Tanzania’s ports has increased due to improved services and that the authority has been making efforts to enhance tax systems.

Meanwhile, TRA Commissioner General Yusuph Juma Mwenda said the authority is ready to keep pace with the growing volume of cargo at the Port of Dar es Salaam by ensuring faster and more efficient cargo clearance.

Mr. Mwenda said that the initiative to provide 24-hour services is part of a strategy to increase productivity, reduce unnecessary delays at the port and border posts, simplify trade processes, and enhance the competitiveness of Tanzania’s ports.

Tanzania’s largest neonatal care facility has opened in the Kwimba District of the Mwanza region, with the capacity to save an estimated 1,300 prematurely born babies each year. The modern facility expands access to specialised newborn services in rural areas.

The Kwimba Neonatal Care Unit (NCU), constructed by the Doris Mollel Foundation, is the biggest of its kind in the country and the first purpose-built, patient-centred neonatal facility in rural Tanzania, according to the foundation.

Launching the unit, the World Health Organisation Regional Director for Africa, Prof Mohamed Janabi, said the project demonstrates how decentralised infrastructure can extend life-saving care beyond major urban centres.

“Kwimba is the answer to a question we have asked for too long: how do we reach the unreachable? Not with grand policy alone, but with district-level infrastructure that puts care where the mothers are,” he said.

“This facility is a blueprint for every rural community across Africa still waiting for its first neonatal intensive care unit,” he said.

The Kwimba NCU features 15 specialised neonatal beds fitted with incubators and warming equipment, Kangaroo Mother Care suites allowing mothers to remain with their babies, a dedicated breastfeeding and nutrition support centre, and on-site training facilities for community health workers.

To ensure uninterrupted service, the unit is powered by a solar-backed electricity system to cushion against grid outages.

The project was delivered through cooperation between the government of Tanzania and the Doris Mollel Foundation.

Pwani: Kamati ya Uongozi wa Mradi wa Bwawa la Julius Nyerere (JNHPP) imekagua maendeleo ya uzalishaji wa umeme katika hilo na kuridhishwa na usimamizi pamoja na utekelezaji wake, uliokidhi viwango vya ubora vinavyoendana na thamani ya fedha iliyowekezwa na Serikali.

“Tumeridhishwa na jinsi mradi huu ulivyosimamiwa na kutekelezwa kwa ufanisi mkubwa. Ukilinganisha na miradi mingine barani Afrika, mradi huu umejengwa kwa ubora wa hali ya juu na umeleta unafuu katika huduma ya umeme nchini. Haya ni mafanikio makubwa kwa taifa,” alieleza Mwenyekiti wa Kamati, Dkt. Jim Yonazi.

Akizungumza kwa niaba ya Katibu Mkuu wa Wizara ya Nishati, Mkurugenzi wa Sera na Mipango, Petro Lyatuu, amesema mradi huo umekamilika kwa asilimia 100 na mchango wake tayari umeanza kuonekana.

Amefafanua kuwa mwaka 2021, gridi ya taifa ilikuwa na jumla ya megawati 1,600, lakini kwa sasa uwezo wa uzalishaji umefikia zaidi ya megawati 4,000, zaidi ya mara mbili ya kiwango cha awali.

Katika hitimisho la ziara hiyo, kamati imeeleza kuwa utekelezaji wa miradi ya kimkakati ya umeme unaifanya Tanzania kuwa kivutio cha uwekezaji na kitovu cha usambazaji wa umeme katika ukanda wa Afrika Mashariki, Kati na Kusini.

Dodoma: The Judiciary of Tanzania has unveiled its Comprehensive Performance Report for 2025, revealing a year defined by unprecedented efficiency, sweeping technological modernization, and vastly expanded access to justice for ordinary citizens.

Record-Breaking Efficiency and Speed
At the heart of the Judiciary’s 2025 success is a dramatic improvement in case management. The overall case clearance rate reached an impressive 104.5%, meaning the courts resolved more cases than were filed during the year. Additionally, the case disposal rate climbed to 88.4%, and the total number of pending cases plummeted by 24.7% compared to 2024.

Litigants also spent significantly less time waiting for justice. The average time taken from filing a case to its determination dropped from 78 days in 2024 to just 66 days in 2025. The case backlog was rigorously maintained at 5%, perfectly aligning with the Judiciary Strategic Plan target.

Bringing Justice Closer to the People
To bridge geographical gaps, the Judiciary established 15 new primary court sittings across various districts, ensuring underserved communities could access affordable and timely court services.

Furthermore, the acclaimed mobile court services expanded to Tabora and introduced the highly innovative “Haki Hema” (Justice Tent), thereby reducing travel burdens and expediting resolutions. The legal workforce was also bolstered, with the Chief Justice admitting 1,223 new advocates to the roll to enhance the public’s access to legal representation.

The Digital Revolution
The Electronic Case Management System (JoT eCMS) was upgraded and seamlessly integrated with 13 justice-sector stakeholders, including the Tanzania Prisons Service and the Tanganyika Law Society.

Virtual courts proved enormously successful in cutting travel expenses and procedural delays. The Judiciary conducted a staggering 62,041 virtual court sessions, far exceeding its strategic target of 18,500.

Unprecedented Accountability and Public Trust
Public trust and systemic accountability saw major boosts as the Judiciary inspected 99.1% of its subordinate courts and 96.2% of the country’s prisons—a massive 21.1 percentage point increase in prison inspections from the previous year.

The institution was also highly responsive to the public. Out of 2,721 registered feedback instances, 99.9% were addressed, while 99.8% of the 1,370 formal complaints were successfully handled, comfortably surpassing the institutional target of 95%. Internally, the deployment of the electronic Judicial Officers Open Performance Review Appraisal System (e-JOPRAS) allowed for the efficient evaluation of 1,229 judicial officers.

Historic Milestones
The year was capped by major historical milestones. On April 5, 2025, President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan officially inaugurated the nine-story Judiciary Headquarters, known as “Judiciary Square,” in Dodoma. This state-of-the-art complex now centralizes the operations of the Court of Appeal and the High Court.

Tanzania on Saturday launched a solar electrification project targeting 120 islands across eight regions bordering major lakes and the Indian Ocean.

The initiative aims to install 20,000 solar home systems at a total cost of 8 billion Tanzanian shillings (about $3.2 million).

The project, implemented by the Rural Energy Agency (REA), was officially inaugurated by Deputy Minister for Energy Salome Makamba on Bezi Island in Lake Victoria, located in the Ilemela district of Mwanza region.

Other regions set to benefit from the program include Geita, Kagera, and Mara along Lake Victoria; Rukwa along Lake Rukwa; and Lindi, Mtwara, and Coast along the Indian Ocean.

Makamba said the government would provide subsidies covering up to 75 percent of connection costs to ensure affordable electricity access in remote areas.

She added that the project would directly support Tanzania’s blue economy agenda by enabling fishermen to add value to fish products before marketing, while also boosting aquaculture, seaweed farming, and beach tourism.

REA Acting Director General Jones Olotu said the project would be implemented over two years.

Tanzania is entering a monumental and transformative economic phase, pivoting from steady recovery to accelerated growth. The country is asserting itself as one of the continent’s most resilient economies with 6% annual GDP growth and a respectable 3.3% inflation rate, outperforming neighbours Kenya and Uganda and ranking first in East Africa.

This shift must not only be attributed to a favourable economic climate, but also to decisive reforms that have attracted foreign investment, fuelling major projects such as the Tanzania Liquefied Natural Gas Project (TLNGP).

Following the period of post-election unrest in October 2025, critics had predicted Tanzania would be unable to recover key sectors, including tourism, agriculture, and mining. However, the country has repeatedly proven its resolve in overcoming these challenges.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan, whilst still hoping to achieve a nationwide rollout of social reforms such as Universal Health Care, has delivered on her 100-day promises of job creation and support for small, youth-led enterprises. The country has also adopted a more investor-friendly economic model to produce tangible benefits for Tanzanians nationwide.

Admittedly, there is still work to be done to ensure the successful implementation of these projects. Yet, their impressive size and scale signify investor confidence in Tanzania as a reliable partner. In 2025 alone, Tanzania secured a record 927 investment projects that are estimated to create more than 162,000 jobs domestically.

Furthermore, the government, in collaboration with China and Zambia, has revitalised the TAZARA railway in a $1.4 billion deal. This has connected farmers, traders and industries to cross-border markets by providing them with a more efficient route. While this upgrade promises greater efficiency, its long-term success will depend heavily on the railway’s operational management.

This year, Tanzania looks poised to sustain its investor-led growth. The Abu Dhabi-based Al Dahra Group recently pledged $100m to drive transformative growth within Tanzania’s agricultural sector through large-scale and sustainable farming initiatives. This investment positions Tanzania to achieve its target of 10% GDP growth in the crop subsector by 2030.

Yet, Tanzania’s economic boom is not solely fuelled by foreign investment, but also by domestic initiatives and government-led development projects. Against the backdrop of Tanzania’s National Development Vision 2050 (DIRA 2050), which has set the ambitious target of inclusive growth and a GDP of $1 trillion, the country’s economic progress reflects a government that is determined to create more opportunities for Tanzanians nationwide.

The government is close to securing three significant deals with the US, worth $42 billion overall: The TLNGP, Tembo Nickel project, and Mahenge Graphite project.