The Business Registration and Licensing Agency (BRELA) convened its second annual stakeholders’ meeting in Dar es Salaam drawing government officials, business leaders, and sectoral stakeholders.
This year’s meeting, themed “Institutional Systems Aligned with Business Facilitation in Tanzania,” was opened by Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, Hon. Exaud Kigahe.
In his remarks, he stressed the critical role BRELA plays in driving economic growth through streamlined business registration and licensing.
He emphasized the government’s commitment to improving Tanzania’s business climate by investing in technology to simplify processes and remove bureaucratic barriers, ultimately attracting domestic and foreign investment.
On his part, BRELA CEO Godfrey Nyaisa highlighted the agency’s recent advancements, particularly in digital transformation. Under his leadership, BRELA has prioritized reducing procedural delays and enhancing the accessibility of business registration processes.
He underscored the importance of collaborative efforts with government ministries and the private sector to further streamline business operations and foster a supportive environment for both local and international businesses.
Sylvani Thadeus Shayo, the Director of Compliance and Security Management at the e-Government Agency (eGA), spoke on the government’s broader digitalization initiatives, including a national electronic single-window system for businesses and interoperable government platforms.
Shayo highlighted the government’s dedication to data security, ensuring that while systems become more efficient, they also protect citizens’ personal information—a crucial component in establishing Tanzania as a model of digital transformation across Africa.
BRELA’s Board Chair, Neema Mori, acknowledged the strides made by the agency’s advisory board in generating revenue and simplifying regulatory requirements. Mori thanked the stakeholders present and reiterated BRELA’s commitment to improving efficiency by integrating systems with other government bodies.
She emphasized that these improvements aim to make Tanzania a more attractive destination for investment and entrepreneurship by reducing bureaucratic obstacles and promoting a pro-business regulatory environment.
The event also included a panel discussion led by Samwel Magesa of the National Bank of Commerce (NBC), featuring key participants such as Loy Mhando, BRELA’s Director of Intellectual Property, Castro Luhusa from the National Identification Authority (NIDA), Mary Mafunguo from KPMG, and Nkundwe Moses from Tanzania’s ICT Commission.
The panel examined Tanzania’s new digital identification system, which is set to simplify business processes, enhance data security, and promote financial inclusion.
The discussion covered integration challenges with existing systems and the ongoing need to balance data security with privacy considerations in the digitized landscape.
About BRELA
The Business Registration and Licensing Agency (BRELA) is a semi-autonomous government agency under Tanzania’s Ministry of Industry and Trade. Established to streamline business registration, licensing, and intellectual property rights, BRELA aims to promote a supportive environment for investment and entrepreneurship.
The agency is responsible for facilitating company registrations, administering trademarks and patents, and enhancing regulatory processes to make Tanzania an attractive destination for both local and foreign businesses.
In recent years, BRELA has prioritized digitalization, aiming to reduce bureaucratic hurdles and improve the ease of doing business in Tanzania.
