Category: The Citizen

Dar es Salaam. An 11-year-old innovator has challenged Tanzania’s education system to stop waiting until children reach university to cultivate their problem-solving potential.

Speaking at the opening of Innovation Week Tanzania 2026 on Monday, August 31, 2026, founder and chief executive visionary of Small Hands, Big Change, Ms Akoth Kidew, criticized learning systems that prioritize rote memorization over creative problem-solving.

‘If we spend 12 years training a child to remember the answer someone else already got, why are we surprised when she cannot invent an answer nobody has even known yet?’ asked Ms Kidew.

She argued that genuine innovation stems from encouraging children to ask questions, experiment, make mistakes, and try again.

To foster an inventive mindset early, Ms Kidew called for primary school innovation challenges, community problem-solving classes, mentorship programmes, and safe experimental spaces for young learners.

She further warned that digital divide barriers, specifically unequal access to electricity, computers, and technology, threaten to exclude many Tanzanian children from becoming future innovators.

When National Assembly Speaker Mussa Azzan Zungu asked the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority and the Capital Markets and Securities Authority to explain to Parliament why telecommunications companies have not listed on the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange (DSE), he brought a long-running policy question into focus.

Under the Electronic and Postal Communications Act, existing telecommunications licensees were required to offer shares to the public and subsequently list on the stock exchange, while operators licensed subsequently were given three years from the grant of their licence to do the same. Only one mobile operator has so far complied.

The parliamentary scrutiny is understandable because a stronger presence of major telecommunications companies on the DSE would deepen Tanzania’s capital market, widen domestic participation in a strategically important sector and bring major operators within the stronger disclosure and governance disciplines associated with public ownership. The objective should therefore remain to expand public ownership and transparency in the sector, while implementing the listing requirement in a way that the capital market can support.

The more immediate question is how to get there, because a successful listing requires preparation, investor demand, market capacity and careful sequencing. Requiring several large telecommunications operators to undertake IPOs within a short period would place significant demands on domestic investor liquidity and would need to be considered alongside the financing needs of other sectors. The practical challenge is therefore how to advance the listing agenda without placing unnecessary pressure on the capital market.

There is a practical precedent for this approach, however. Tanzania’s Banking and Financial Institutions (Disclosures) Regulations, 2014 already require banks and financial institutions to publish quarterly financial statements, while annual financial statements are subject to audit and publication requirements. This provides a workable model for telecommunications operators that have yet to list. International telecoms regulation offers a further precedent.

In the United Kingdom, Ofcom requires certain operators with significant market power to maintain and publish regulatory financial statements, giving the regulator and other stakeholders greater visibility into the economics of regulated markets and the basis for regulatory decisions.

Quarterly publication would give government, investors and the wider public a more consistent view of the financial position of operators while the listing process is phased. It would also create a common baseline across the sector, so companies operating with the same public resource and within the same regulatory environment face broadly comparable disclosure expectations.

That would advance part of the original policy rationale behind the listing requirement itself. The debate over telecom listings has long involved questions about the visibility of operators’ financial performance, tax contributions and costs. Comparable financial disclosure would give policymakers better information for assessing the economics of the sector and considering whether the combination of taxes, levies and other regulatory costs is compatible with continued investment.

That question is significant because Tanzania’s connectivity ambitions require sustained private investment. The National ICT Infrastructure Masterplan envisages 50 per cent of infrastructure financing coming through public-private partnerships and other private-sector investment, alongside contributions from UCSAF, government allocations and development finance institutions. The telecommunications sector therefore needs a policy environment in which operators can continue to invest in network expansion, while government has sufficient information to assess whether the regulatory and tax framework supports that investment.

Transparency also has a legitimate public-interest dimension because telecommunications companies use scarce national resources, including radio spectrum and numbering resources. Spectrum is a finite national resource, and international regulatory practice places considerable emphasis on transparent allocation, licensing conditions and accountability in its use. That provides a basis for public visibility into the economic relationship between operators and the state, including licence payments, taxes, investment commitments, coverage obligations and other conditions attached to the use of public resources.

Quarterly financial reports in line with the Banking and Financial Institutions (Disclosures) Regulations (2014), alongside appropriate operational and sector metrics, would provide considerably greater transparency and metrics for sector sustainability, without imposing quarterly external audits, and harmonising disclosure requirements.

Tanzania can pursue three objectives at the same time. It can retain listing as the medium to long-term route to wider public ownership and deeper capital-market participation. It can introduce a common quarterly disclosure standard for operators that remain unlisted. And it can sequence listings according to market conditions, allowing the DSE to absorb new offerings without placing unnecessary pressure on domestic liquidity.

It would demonstrate that the state is serious about the principle behind the requirement while recognising that implementation needs to reflect the capital market’s capacity. This approach keeps the listing requirement intact while providing a practical route to greater transparency in the interim.

Tanzania is entering the implementation phase of Vision 2050, which places digital transformation and productive infrastructure among the pillars of a more diversified and competitive economy. Telecommunications infrastructure is a significant foundation on which that ambition rests. Achieving that ambition will require policy decisions grounded in a clearer understanding of how the telecommunications sector generates revenues, bears regulatory costs and finances network investment. Greater financial transparency can help provide that evidence.

The DSE should remain the destination for broader public ownership. Transparency can begin now, while the market prepares for the listings that follow.

Tabora. A total of 1,356 households among the poorest in Ulyankulu settlement, Tabora, have improved their economic circumstances after receiving business training, capital, market linkages and access to formal financial services.

According to the final evaluation of the second cohort of the Delivering Resilient Enterprises and Market Systems (DREAMS) Tanzania programme, the number of households living on more than $3 (about Sh7,970) a day rose from 14 percent to 82.75 percent within 12 months.

The assessment also found that the average value of household assets increased from $260 (about Sh691,214) to $955 (about Sh2.54 million), while the proportion of households making regular savings rose from 3.5 percent to 99.7 percent.

The DREAMS programme is implemented by Mercy Corps in partnership with Village Enterprise, Caritas Tabora and Dignity Kwanza, targeting people living in extreme poverty in Ulyankulu, Mishamo and Katumba settlements.

In the second cohort, 1,670 households were identified as meeting the programme’s eligibility criteria, but 1,356 joined the initiative.

Rather than receiving cash directly, participating households first underwent household-level assessments of their economic circumstances using the Poverty Probability Index (PPI), a tool used to estimate the likelihood of a household living below a given poverty line.

Those selected subsequently underwent nine training sessions covering financial literacy, group management and business development.

They then formed savings groups of between 30 and 45 members, with every three households forming a business group.

Each business group received Sh533,820 in an initial grant and a further Sh228,720 after six months.

In total, Sh344.4 million was provided to support 452 businesses.

The final assessment found that 91.8 percent of the businesses were considered financially healthy when participants graduated from the programme.

For some beneficiaries, the programme has resulted in tangible growth in household assets.

A resident of Itagwa, Mr John Mwangolela, said he started with four goats but had increased his herd to 16 within a year.

‘We started with four goats. By the end of the year, we had 16. We sold 13 and bought a pregnant cow. It has given birth and we now drink its milk,’ he said.

In Taba, the Muungano group has focused on buying paddy, milling it and selling rice.

The group’s chairperson, Antonet Yohana, said the savings system had helped members reduce their dependence on informal lenders when meeting household expenses, including school fees.

The programme has also linked beneficiaries with financial institutions and companies providing services and equipment needed for production.

The CRDB Bank Foundation has helped some beneficiaries open bank accounts, with about 708 accounts registered in Sasu alone.

Other partners have provided equipment and inputs to support businesses.

KickStart International supplied irrigation pumps, while SimuSolar provided milling machines through interest-free financing. AKM Glitters supplied day-old chicks.

The programme has also gone beyond financial assistance by addressing some of the social and legal barriers affecting beneficiaries.

Dignity Kwanza provided education on legal matters, family rights and land use, while some beneficiaries received assistance in obtaining birth certificates and identification numbers.

The project’s legal officer, Masala Johnson, said the training had also helped address gender-based violence, which had prevented some women from participating fully in economic activities.

Meanwhile, the programme’s deputy manager, Martin Mgallah, said beneficiaries from the first cohort, who completed the programme a year ago, were still running their businesses.

One of them is Abraham Mgaywa of Makingi, who has since ventured into farming and has already transported two lorry-loads of watermelons to Dodoma.

The way audiences consume information has changed dramatically over the past decade. For generations, newspapers, radio and television were the primary sources of news and analysis. Today, however, a new format has emerged as one of the most influential channels of communication: podcasts. Through long-form conversations, interviews and video discussions, podcasts are attracting millions of listeners and viewers who are seeking deeper understanding beyond traditional headlines.

This shift raises an important question: are conversations replacing traditional news formats, or are podcasts simply becoming another powerful tool within the evolving media ecosystem?

The growth of podcasts reflects a fundamental change in audience behaviour. People are no longer only looking for information; they are searching for connection, explanation and perspective. A traditional news report may tell audiences what happened, but a podcast conversation can explore why it happened, what it means and how different people experience it.

The strength of podcasts lies in their ability to create intimacy. Unlike traditional news formats that often follow strict time limits and structured reporting styles, podcasts allow hosts and guests to have extended discussions. Audiences can listen to experts, leaders, entrepreneurs, analysts and community voices explain complex issues in a more relaxed and human way.

This format has become particularly attractive in a world where many people feel overwhelmed by the constant flow of information. Social media platforms deliver thousands of updates every day, but many audiences are searching for fewer, more meaningful conversations. Podcasts provide an opportunity to slow down, reflect and understand issues beyond short headlines and viral clips.

However, the growth of podcasts does not mean traditional journalism is becoming irrelevant. Professional news organisations continue to play a critical role in investigating stories, verifying facts and providing reliable information. A conversation between two people can generate ideas and perspectives, but journalism provides the evidence, research and accountability needed to understand important issues.

The relationship between podcasts and traditional journalism should therefore be viewed as complementary rather than competitive. Many successful media organisations are now combining investigative reporting with podcast formats to reach audiences in new ways. A detailed investigation can become a podcast series, while a major interview can extend beyond a written article into a deeper conversation.

One reason podcasts have become influential is their ability to build personal brands. Audiences often follow hosts because of their expertise, personality and credibility. Over time, a trusted podcast host can develop a strong relationship with listeners, creating loyalty that traditional media sometimes struggles to achieve in a fragmented digital environment.

However, this growing influence also comes with responsibility. Unlike traditional newsrooms, not every podcast operates under professional editorial standards. Some discussions may spread opinions, speculation or misinformation without proper verification. The popularity of a host does not always guarantee the accuracy of the information shared.

This challenge highlights the continued importance of media ethics. Whether information is delivered through a newspaper article, television report or podcast conversation, audiences deserve accuracy, fairness and transparency. The future of media will depend on maintaining trust across all platforms.

For media companies, podcasts represent a major opportunity for innovation and audience engagement. They offer new possibilities for revenue through sponsorships, partnerships, subscriptions and branded content. More importantly, they allow media organisations to reach audiences who may no longer consume news through traditional channels.

The question is no longer whether podcasts will replace newspapers, radio or television. The more important question is how media organisations can adapt and integrate conversations into their storytelling strategies. The strongest platforms will likely be those that combine the credibility of journalism with the accessibility and connection of podcasts.

The future of news will not be defined by one format replacing another. Instead, it will be shaped by how effectively media organisations understand changing audience expectations.

Podcasts have proven that conversations matter. They have restored the value of listening, questioning and exploring ideas in depth.

The future belongs not only to those who report the news, but also to those who create spaces where people can understand it.

Every World Cup pulls money into sportsbooks, but 2026 pulled ahead of every past edition by a wide margin. Bettors in New Jersey, Manila, and Nairobi wagered on the same matches within seconds of each other, and totals piled up faster than operators could update their boards. A mix of format changes, fresh legal markets, and smarter betting products did the heavy lifting, and anyone hunting for sports betting tips and predictions had more matches to study than ever. Three shifts, stacked together, explain it.

More Teams, More Matches

FIFA expanded the field to 48 nations, pushing the schedule from 64 matches to 104. That single change reshaped the calendar: five extra weeks of fixtures instead of four, plus an extended knockout stage. Each new match carried its own moneyline, goal total, and prop menu, multiplying betting slips, not just games. Sportsbooks offered upward of 200 markets per fixture, double the Qatar count. Group play alone ran three extra weeks compared with the old 32-team format, giving bettors far more time to build a bankroll before knockout stakes rose.

Legal Betting Finally Caught Up

Hosting duties split across the United States, Mexico, and Canada mattered because legal wagering now covers 39 states, up from roughly 40% population coverage in 2022. Researchers tracked US handle between $2.8 billion and $4.3 billion, a ninefold rise from the estimated $490 million wagered during Qatar. New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Illinois posted single-day figures beating previous NFL playoff records. Operators had also spent four years building World Cup-specific marketing and onboarding flows, so the infrastructure was ready the moment kickoff arrived.

Kickoff Times Did Quiet Work

Matches across North American time zones meant marquee games kicked off in the evening for US audiences, not the early-morning slots that suppressed past viewership. That kept bettors awake and engaged instead of checking scores over breakfast. Combine that with same-game parlays, bundling a result with player props and goal totals into one ticket:

Expressed a full match story in one ticket

Carried higher margins than straight bets

Kept mobile users engaged all match

Pushed operator hold past 12%

Numbers That Made It Unmistakable

Global wagering estimates range from $50 billion to well over $200 billion once prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket enter the count; Kalshi alone processed north of $14 billion in trading. Every version dwarfs the $35 billion wagered on Qatar 2022. The comparison that stuck with operators pointed at a different sport entirely:

Caesars called Spain-Argentina its most-bet match

BetMGM said the final outdrew NBA Finals games

An executive called it “10 Super Bowls”

Knockout handle topped US domestic championships

US handle alone beat recent Super Bowl totals

Final Whistle

Expand the field, legalize the market, schedule kickoffs sensibly, and hand bettors a parlay product built for mobile screens, and the outcome looks close to inevitable. The 2026 World Cup broke records because format, regulation, timing, and product design pointed in the same direction at once.

Tarime. Minerals Minister Anthony Mavunde has urged Tanzanians to abandon superstitions surrounding the mining sector, attributing financial ruin among miners to speculative extraction rather than witchcraft.

Speaking in Tarime District, Mara Region, on Monday, August 31, 2026, during the launch of the Building Better Tomorrow-Mining (BBT-M) Programme, Mr Mavunde said the government is deploying scientific exploration to eliminate guesswork.

During the event, the minister launched a Barrick North Mara Gold Mine exploration aircraft and directed it to survey the Majimoto small-scale mining site in Butiama District.

He noted that miners frequently default on loans after investing in small gold reefs that run out unexpectedly.

‘A miner speculates on a gold-bearing reef and takes out a loan, but the reef is small. Once the loan is invested, the reef suddenly dries up. As creditors pursue repayment, houses and cars are auctioned, leading the miner to break down and blame superstition,’ he said.

To solve this, Mr Mavunde said comprehensive exploration is needed to quantify deposits before mining begins.

He said over the past century, the Geological Survey of Tanzania (GST) has mapped only 16 percent of the country’s minerals.

‘The government has recognised this obstacle and allocated 10 percent of mining sector revenues to exploration,’ said Mr Mavunde.

He instructed Regional Mines Officers to reserve mining blocks for youth, women, and persons with disabilities, adding that officers will be evaluated on their allocation of licences to these special groups.

Mara Regional Commissioner, Brigadier General Evans Mtambi, welcomed the shift away from consulting diviners, predicting the emergence of young and female billionaires in Mara as mining, agriculture, livestock, and fishing are integrated scientifically.

Program Coordinator, Mr Amini Msuya, stated that the five-year initiative (2025-2030) aims to solve capital and technology deficits, ensuring marginalized groups become direct owners and beneficiaries of mineral wealth.

Barrick Tanzania Country Manager, Dr Melkior Ngindo, affirmed that the mine would surrender any explored areas unfit for large-scale operations back to the government for small-scale miners.

Local youth representative, Mr Joachim Mnyaro, noted that target groups require capital, modern equipment, and training rather than sympathy to drive economic growth.

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s rising swimming star Lorita Borega has quickly moved from making history at the Anoca Zone Five Youth Games to breaking new ground on the global stage.

Borega is now in Santa Fe, Argentina, where she is preparing to compete at the World Aquatics Junior Open Water Swimming Championships alongside her coach, Radhia Ngereza, in what will be another historic chapter in her young career.

The championships run from September 3 to 6 and bring together some of the world’s leading young open water swimmers. World Aquatics has confirmed Santa Fe as the host city for the 2026 edition.

For Tanzania, Borega’s participation is significant because she is set to become the country’s first swimmer to compete at the World Aquatics Junior Open Water Swimming Championships.

Her journey to Argentina comes just days after she made history in Nairobi by winning Tanzania’s first swimming medal at the Anoca Zone Five Youth Games.

Competing in the women’s 14-17 100 metres freestyle, Borega clocked 1:11.92 to win bronze, delivering Tanzania’s only medal at the Games.

The achievement was more than just a medal. It demonstrated that Tanzania can produce young swimmers capable of competing successfully beyond the domestic level when given the right training and exposure.

Borega’s progress has been particularly impressive in open water swimming, a discipline where Tanzania is still developing its international presence.

Last year, she became the first Tanzanian female swimmer to officially compete at the African Aquatic Junior and Senior Open Water Swimming Championships in Mombasa, Kenya. She also helped Tanzania finish seventh among nine countries at the event.

Earlier this year, she added another milestone by becoming the first Tanzanian female swimmer to reach the semi-finals of the Africa Aquatics Zone IV Open Water Swimming Championships in Mauritius, advancing in both the 5km and 3km freestyle events.

Her rapid progression now faces its biggest test

The Santa Fe championships feature the 10km, 5km and 7.5km individual races, as well as the 3km knockout sprint and mixed relays.

The Tanzania Swimming Association has described Borega’s participation as an opportunity to gain valuable international exposure and inspire more young athletes.

That exposure could prove crucial. Borega’s recent achievements suggest that Tanzania has promising swimming talent, but her journey also highlights the need for sustained investment, regular international competition and stronger development programs.

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania must shift its focus from celebrating innovative ideas to ensuring they reach the market, create businesses and jobs, and solve problems facing citizens, speakers at the opening of Innovation Week Tanzania 2026 have said.

The call puts commercialisation and practical impact at the centre of this year’s Innovation Week, as government, the private sector, researchers and innovators seek to address what remains a key weakness in the country’s innovation ecosystem.

Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (Costech ) Director General Dr Amos Nungu said Tanzania had no shortage of innovative ideas or young people with the ability to develop solutions, but needed a stronger system for taking those ideas from conception and prototypes into commercial production.

‘The question now is whether our innovation ecosystem has the capacity to take innovation to the market and produce results with the speed required,’ he said.

Dr Nungu said Innovation Week itself demonstrated the growing volume of ideas being generated in the country, but argued that exhibitions should not be the endpoint.

The next challenge, he said, was creating effective mechanisms to ensure innovations showcased during the week could move into government use, industry and the wider market.

He said Costech was working to strengthen systems that connect research, technology, intellectual property, investment and product development.

One of the priorities is improving the pathway from research to market, including helping innovators move from prototypes towards industrial production and connecting promising technologies with investors.

‘After making a prototype, we want to see it going to industries,’ Dr Nungu said.

National Planning Commission Executive Secretary Dr Tausi Kida similarly said innovative ideas should not remain concepts but should be tested, improved and scaled according to their results.

She said innovation should make development planning more evidence-based, adaptable and responsive to the actual needs of citizens.

Programme Manager of the Funguo Programme, Mr Joseph Manirakiza, said Innovation Week had itself evolved from a small event established in 2015 to showcase innovation projects into a national platform connecting young innovators with investors, government, development partners and other actors in the ecosystem.

He said the event received about 2,000 registration applications within the first 24 hours after opening this year, demonstrating the level of interest in innovation among Tanzanians.

But Planning and Investment Minister Prof Kitila Mkumbo said the country must go further by changing how innovation is understood.

A farmer using technology to increase productivity, a company redesigning its production process to reduce costs, or a public institution changing how it delivers services can all constitute innovation.

He also challenged researchers to measure the value of their work by its impact rather than simply the number of papers published.

‘If you publish 100 papers, we will ask: how have they helped us?’ he said.

Research, he argued, should ultimately influence policy, improve productivity, generate businesses, reduce public costs or solve challenges facing society.

Prof Mkumbo also called for government institutions to remove regulations and bureaucratic procedures that prevent young people and businesses from taking innovative ideas forward.

He said leadership must create an environment where people can experiment, challenge established systems and make mistakes without fear.

‘There is no innovation without making mistakes,’ he said.

The private sector also emerged as a key part of the commercialisation process.

Vodacom Tanzania External Affairs Director Ms Zuweina Farah said private capital would be essential in expanding the country’s digital economy, arguing that public policy should create conditions that encourage investment in infrastructure, devices and digital adoption.

She said Tanzania had already made substantial progress in mobile broadband coverage, but that infrastructure alone would not create a digital economy unless more citizens could afford devices and use the available connectivity.

The speakers’ message reflects a broader shift in the purpose of Innovation Week-from providing a platform to showcase ideas to creating connections that can turn those ideas into economically and socially useful solutions.

For Dr Nungu, the desired outcome is an ecosystem in which innovators can clearly identify where to obtain support, investors can identify promising technologies, researchers can connect with industry and successful prototypes can reach consumers.

He said this would require stronger coordination among the different actors supporting innovation.

Mr Manirakiza said the growth of Innovation Week had been driven by partnerships among government, development partners, private companies and organisations supporting young innovators.

The event, he said, should therefore be used not only to exhibit innovations but also to encourage stakeholders to ask difficult questions and engage directly with decision-makers.

Innovation Week Tanzania 2026 is being held under the theme ‘From Aspiration to Transformation: Innovating Tanzania’s Path to Inclusive Prosperity.’

The discussions this week are expected to focus on how innovation can move beyond ideas and demonstrations to become a practical driver of productivity, investment, entrepreneurship, employment and better services.

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s push to produce iron locally has moved into a new phase, with the $77.4 million Maganga Matitu iron ore project in Njombe entering construction following the arrival of mining equipment and connection of the project site to the national electricity grid.

The development brings the country closer to producing raw iron locally for use by steel manufacturers, after years of feasibility studies, negotiations and other preparations for the project.

The project is located in Ludewa District, Njombe Region and is being implemented through a joint venture between the National Development Corporation (NDC) and China’s Fujian Hexingwang Industry Tanzania Co Ltd.

NDC Director General Dr Nicolaus Shombe told The Citizen that equipment started arriving at the project site on January 19, 2026, as construction activities got underway.

‘The equipment has started arriving at the site from January 19, 2026.

Construction work has also started, including preparation of the project area and installation of electricity infrastructure,’ Dr Shombe said.

He said electricity was connected to the project site on August 12, 2026, while some of the machinery required for mining and crushing iron ore had already been delivered.

The project follows the signing of an investment agreement between NDC and Fujian Hexingwang in August 2024.

The investment was initially put at $77.4 million, with subsequent government documents giving the value as $77.45 million.

The project is expected to operate for 25 years.

The project is designed to produce one million tonnes of raw iron annually.

According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s 2025 budget statement, the feasibility study identified about 100 million tonnes of inferred iron ore, with an iron content of 44.6 percent.

It also identified titanium oxide at 11.2 percent and vanadium pentoxide at 0.41 percent.

The ministry said annual production is expected to include one million tonnes of raw iron, 100,000 tonnes of titanium concentrate and 483,000 tonnes of tailings.

When the project agreement was signed in 2024, Dr Shombe said the project would produce raw iron that would be used by other steel manufacturers.

The project is therefore expected to provide locally produced raw material for Tanzania’s steel industry, as the government seeks to strengthen domestic industrial production and reduce dependence on imported iron and steel.

Before construction could proceed, residents affected by the project were required to be compensated.

NDC said the Ludewa District Council had completed the valuation of 385 people affected by the project, with compensation valued at Sh4.2156 billion.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade estimates that completion of the project will create 1,000 jobs, including 300 direct and 700 indirect positions.

Beyond employment at the project itself, the investment is expected to create opportunities for businesses providing transport, supplies, construction materials, security and other services around the mining operation.

The project covers about 19.63 square kilometres and was described by NDC as one of the projects intended to help Tanzania develop domestic iron production.

The government has urged tourism and hospitality businesses to develop new products and travel packages ahead of the 153rd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), which is expected to bring about 2,000 delegates to Arusha in October.

The five-day meeting, scheduled for October 5-9, 2026, is expected to boost demand for hotels, transport, restaurants, tour operators and other tourism-related services.

Arusha Regional Administrative Secretary Toba Nguvila urged businesses to prepare early and take advantage of opportunities created by the international gathering.

‘Tourism and the services sector are among the key areas expected to benefit. Start developing innovative travel packages for delegates so they can experience Tanzania’s attractions while also making it easier for the country and the organising committee to coordinate services,’ he said.

Mr Nguvila also called on tourism associations to train tour guides and drivers who will handle international visitors, stressing the importance of accurate information and professional service.

He said guides should be well informed about travel times, conservation, environmental protection and the need to respect communities living around protected areas.

Good service, he said, could encourage delegates to return to Tanzania with their families or recommend the country to other potential visitors.

The government also called on banks and telecommunications companies to ensure reliable services throughout the Assembly, saying delegates would spend on accommodation, transport, food, shopping and tourism activities.

‘These visitors are coming for the conference, but they are also coming to spend money. We do not expect them to face difficulties accessing foreign exchange, money or communication services because service providers were not prepared,’ Mr Nguvila said.

He also urged electricity and water authorities to ensure uninterrupted services during the event.

Sadio Events managing director Saada Sipemba said the assembly would increase demand for accommodation, food, transport and other services in Arusha.

‘The assembly will increase demand for services such as hotels, food and transport. Arusha businesses should identify the opportunities created by the meeting and start preparing by engaging with the organising committee,’ she said.

The assembly will be held under the theme ‘Strengthening Good Governance and Empowering Communities through Inclusion, Trust and Opportunities for All.’

It is expected to bring together Speakers and Members of Parliament, parliamentary officials, diplomats, development partners, civil society organisations and other representatives from 183 countries.

Earlier, National Assembly Speaker Mussa Azzan Zungu said delegates would discuss global conflicts, climate change, the rising cost of living, democratic governance, peace and security, digital transformation and artificial intelligence.

Other issues on the agenda include the participation of women, youth and persons with disabilities, economic resilience and the Sustainable Development Goals.