The Government has called for a shift from a control-oriented approach to one focused on facilitating economic activities and investment, saying the change is necessary to support private-sector growth and implementation of Development Vision 2050.
Prime Minister Dr Mwigulu Nchemba made the remarks on September 17, 2026, at the National Planners’ Conference in Arusha, saying excessive emphasis on regulation in some areas needed to give way to greater facilitation.
He said government officials needed to reconsider how they manage economic activities by creating conditions that make it easier for businesses to invest, expand production and create jobs. Dr Nchemba said the shift was particularly important because Dira 2050 expects the private sector to account for 70 per cent of its implementation.
‘This change is important because Vision 2050 expects the private sector to contribute 70 percent to its implementation. Achieving this target requires an environment that enables both domestic and foreign investment, expands productive activities and increases the number of taxpayers rather than relying on increasing taxes alone,’ he said.
The Prime Minister said Tanzania needed to change the way it worked to ensure development planning reflected changing economic circumstances.
He said planners should recognise that the conditions under which development plans are implemented could change, requiring policies and implementation approaches to respond accordingly.
Among the changes, he cited the declining availability of aid and concessional loans, which he said made domestic resources increasingly important in financing development.
Dr Nchemba said the changes in development financing required Tanzania to reconsider how it supported economic activities and created conditions for investment.
He said strengthening the private sector would be central to expanding production and broadening the country’s revenue base.
According to the Prime Minister, a stronger private sector would contribute to increased economic activity, creating more taxpayers and expanding the resources available to finance development.
He said increasing government revenue should not be approached only through higher taxes, but also through policies that encourage businesses to invest, expand their operations and increase economic activity.
Dr Nchemba said planners and other Government officials should ensure policies, plans and implementation mechanisms were designed to respond to changing circumstances rather than relying on approaches used in the past.
He said the shift towards facilitation should form part of efforts to create an environment in which businesses could participate more effectively in achieving national development targets.
The Prime Minister’s remarks came as Tanzania begins implementing Dira 2050, which seeks to transform the country’s economy and increase the role of private investment in achieving its long-term development targets.
The call also places the private sector at the centre of discussions on how the Government can translate the long-term vision into practical economic activities and results.
The conference, which brought together national planners, focused on implementation of Dira 2050 under the theme ‘Delivering Vision 2050: Strengthening Integrated Planning, Execution and Results’.
Dr Nchemba said changes in the operating environment should be reflected in the way Government plans and implements development programmes.
He said the objective should be to facilitate productive economic activity while maintaining necessary oversight, allowing the private sector to play its expected role in achieving the country’s long-term development ambitions.