The Tanzania Investment and Special Economic Zones Authority (TISEZA) registered 243 investment projects worth USD 1.88 billion between April and June 2026, according to the TISEZA Investment Bulletin for the fourth quarter of the 2025/26 financial year, released on 25 September 2026.
Under the Export Processing Zones (EPZ) and Special Economic Zones (SEZ) schemes, seven further projects attracted USD 3.37 billion in capital, up from USD 135.66 million in the same quarter of 2025, with China contributing USD 3.14 billion.
The Director General of TISEZA, Gilead Teri, stated that the 250 new projects registered across both schemes during the quarter bring the cumulative total to 934 projects valued at USD 8.8 billion, with the potential to create over 253,512 jobs.
During the quarter TISEZA undertook 13 outbound missions, including to the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in Russia, the Africa CEO Forum in Rwanda and the Egypt-Tanzania Business and Investment Forum in Cairo, and hosted four inbound missions from Kenya, Russia, Singapore and Slovakia.
Number and Value of Projects
The 243 projects registered under the General Investment Scheme (GIS) in Q2 2026 carry USD 1.88 billion in capital and 33,805 projected jobs, compared with 182 projects and USD 1.13 billion in Q1 2026.
Manufacturing dominated the quarter with 139 of the 243 projects, USD 764.07 million in capital and 17,875 projected jobs, more than half of the total employment registered under the GIS.
Commercial Building, Construction and Economic Infrastructure ranked second by capital, attracting USD 387.22 million through 13 projects projected to create 7,343 jobs, while Tourism registered 23 projects worth USD 361.36 million and 2,397 jobs.
Agriculture accounted for 23 projects worth USD 69.27 million and 2,504 jobs, Transportation for 18 projects worth USD 88.36 million and 2,218 jobs, and Commercial Building for 17 projects worth USD 70.99 million and 838 jobs.
Services attracted USD 124.08 million across four projects, Mining and Petroleum USD 7.17 million across four projects, and Energy USD 7.54 million across two projects during the April to June 2026 period.
Projects Ownership
Foreign-owned projects totalled 124 in Q2 2026, compared with 130 registered in the corresponding quarter of the 2024/25 financial year, while joint venture (JV) projects fell to 46 from 50.
Locally owned projects were the only ownership category to grow year-on-year, rising to 73 in Q2 2026 from 70 in the same quarter of the previous financial year.
Regional Distribution of Projects
The Dar es Salaam Region attracted the highest number of projects at 77, generating USD 946.41 million in capital, just over half of the national total, and 11,243 projected jobs.
The Pwani Region followed with 54 projects, USD 264.18 million in capital and 10,694 jobs, making the two coastal regions together the source of 131 of the 243 projects registered in the quarter.
The Morogoro Region ranked third by capital with USD 174.26 million from nine projects and 940 jobs, ahead of the Arusha Region with 15 projects, USD 145.49 million and 1,411 jobs.
The Mtwara Region registered six projects worth USD 76.78 million that are projected to create 2,587 jobs, placing it third nationally for employment creation in Q2 2026 behind Dar es Salaam and Pwani.
The Mwanza Region recorded 15 projects (USD 33.74 million, 925 jobs), the Geita Region 11 projects (USD 31.86 million, 628 jobs), and the Dodoma Region nine projects (USD 59.17 million, 963 jobs).
The Mbeya Region registered four projects worth USD 10.21 million that are projected to generate 1,128 jobs, while the Tanga and Shinyanga Regions attracted seven and six projects respectively.
Expansion Projects
Eleven expansion projects were registered during Q2 2026, with expected investment totalling USD 380.79 million and the potential to create 1,780 additional jobs within existing operations.
Foreign and Domestic Investment
Total GIS investment of USD 1,880.05 million in Q2 2026 comprised Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) of USD 1,055.47 million and Domestic Investment (DI) of USD 824.58 million.
Total GIS investment fell 41.6% from USD 3,220.33 million in the same quarter of the 2024/25 financial year, as FDI declined 58.4% from USD 2,538.86 million.
Domestic Investment moved in the opposite direction, increasing 21.0% year-on-year from USD 681.47 million, the only component of GIS capital to grow over the period.
Investment by Sector and Ownership
Manufacturing capital of USD 764.07 million was mainly financed by foreign investors (USD 479.70 million) and joint ventures (USD 190.18 million), according to the bulletin’s breakdown of approved capital by source.
Foreign investors contributed USD 327.36 million, or 90.6%, of the USD 361.36 million registered in Tourism, reflecting what the bulletin describes as continued international confidence in the sector.
Services capital of USD 124.08 million came predominantly from joint ventures (USD 120.88 million), while Transportation capital of USD 88.36 million was largely financed by local investors (USD 77.51 million).
Commercial Building and Construction received USD 154.63 million financed entirely by local investors, while Energy recorded USD 7.54 million financed exclusively through joint ventures.
EPZ and SEZ Investment Performance
TISEZA registered seven projects under the EPZ and SEZ schemes in Q2 2026, compared with eight in the same quarter of 2025, while capital investment rose to USD 3,378.5 million from USD 135.66 million.
Projected EPZ and SEZ employment increased to 30,235 jobs from 1,415 a year earlier, and projected export turnover rose to USD 517.8 million from USD 92.9 million.
Agriculture dominated EPZ and SEZ activity with four projects generating 28,258 jobs, USD 2,784.7 million in capital and USD 490.7 million in projected export turnover.
Forestry recorded two projects with USD 543.8 million in capital, 977 jobs and USD 25.1 million in turnover, while a single manufacturing project contributed 1,000 jobs, USD 50 million in capital and USD 2 million in turnover.
Within the EPZ and SEZ framework, FDI reached USD 3,147.8 million against DI of USD 230.7 million, compared with USD 97.62 million and USD 38.04 million respectively in the same quarter of 2025.
Foreign-financed EPZ and SEZ projects are projected to create 19,227 jobs, of which 18,250 are in agriculture, while domestically financed projects account for 11,008 jobs, including 10,008 in agriculture.
Four of the seven EPZ and SEZ projects were foreign-owned, two were locally owned and one was a joint venture, according to the bulletin’s ownership data for the quarter.
EPZ and SEZ Regional Distribution
The Ruvuma Region led EPZ and SEZ activity with a single project carrying USD 2,600 million in capital, 18,050 projected jobs and USD 265.5 million in projected export turnover.
The Lindi Region recorded one project with USD 180 million in capital, 10,000 jobs and USD 220 million in turnover, and the Iringa Region two projects with USD 543.1 million in capital, 375 jobs and USD 21.2 million in turnover.
The Dar es Salaam Region contributed one project (1,000 jobs, USD 50 million in capital, USD 2 million in turnover), and the Njombe Region two projects (810 jobs, USD 5.4 million in capital, USD 9.1 million in turnover).
EPZ and SEZ FDI by Country
China led EPZ and SEZ FDI with USD 3,143.8 million in capital, 19,027 projected jobs and USD 290.6 million in projected export turnover, accounting for almost all foreign capital under the two schemes.
Kenya followed with USD 3.1 million in capital, 150 jobs and USD 1.2 million in turnover, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with USD 0.9 million in capital, 50 jobs and USD 1.1 million in turnover.
SEZ Land Allocations and Projects Under Development
Since the official launch of Tanzania’s SEZs on 12 August 2025, TISEZA has allocated more than 40 land parcels to investors across the Bagamoyo, Ruvuma, Kwala and Nala Special Economic Zones.
The Bagamoyo SEZ recorded the largest allocation with approximately 524.89 hectares for five projects, followed by the Ruvuma SEZ with approximately 375.59 hectares for a comprehensive industrial park and a concrete batching plant.
In the Kwala SEZ approximately 3.20 hectares were allocated for medical consumables manufacturing and mineral processing, while 2.02 hectares in the Nala SEZ were allocated for a pharmaceutical manufacturing project.
HWTZ Holding Limited is developing an industrial cluster in the Ruvuma SEZ in Songea, with an estimated value of approximately USD 3 billion, including a 1,000,000 tonnes per year aluminium plant and a 2,100 MW coal-fired power plant expected to create 10,000 direct jobs.
The bulletin states that HWTZ Holding expected to deliver equipment and machinery for the first phase through the Port of Mtwara in July 2026, including the steel base of a Circulating Fluidized Bed (CFB) boiler.
HWTZ SEZ Limited is building a 500-hectare industrial park in Bagamoyo under a 33-year lease with expected investment exceeding USD 3 billion, targeting over 150 industrial investments and more than 5,000 direct jobs.
Invest Industry Investment Ltd is developing a USD 300 million garment and textile factory in the Bagamoyo Eco-Maritime City that is expected to employ 40,000 people and generate more than USD 650 million in export revenue.
Other SEZ projects under development include a USD 10 million Sinovest Limited garment and textile project expected to create over 12,000 jobs, and a USD 8.8 million Afriport Apparel Limited facility targeting over 1,000 jobs and USD 5 million in exports.
ER Kang Limited is investing USD 8 million in a cashew, sweet potato and peanut oil processing factory in Masasi, Mtwara, projected to create over 2,670 jobs and bring in over USD 1.6 million in foreign exchange.
Tanfroz Ltd operates a food and horticulture processing facility in the Bagamoyo Eco-Maritime City worth over USD 5.2 million, while Snowsea Tanzania Co. Limited runs a USD 2 million refrigerator factory in Kwala employing over 100 people.
One-Stop Facilitation Centre and Investor Facilitation
The One-Stop Facilitation Centre (OSFC) at TISEZA, which now brings together 15 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), processed 1,275 work permits and 2,702 residence permits during Q2 2026, alongside 243 Certificates of Incentives.
Monthly work permit approvals rose from 119 in April to 519 in May and 637 in June 2026, while residence permits peaked at 1,430 in June after 645 in April and 627 in May.
The OSFC held 3,690 consultations with investors over the quarter, comprising 1,200 in April, 1,340 in May and 1,150 in June 2026, on top of registrations, licences, tax exemptions and land services.
The Investment Call Centre (ICC) addressed 187 inquiries during Q2 2026, related mainly to work permits, residence permits and investment opportunities, while the Premium Lounge served 187 investors, 47 of whom opened bank accounts with Azania Bank.
TISEZA registered and updated 144 Investor Service Providers (ISPs) offering legal, tax, financial, audit, insurance, logistics, valuation and engineering services, and recorded 3,053 virtual and physical investor meetings, of which 466 involved China and 156 India.
The rollout of the National Investment Database System has already captured over 1,000 projects, which TISEZA says is improving coordination and decision making across government institutions.
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