Accra: Tanzania’s export earnings surged by 40 percent in 2024, reaching 3.94 billion US dollars from African markets alone as the government intensified efforts to secure reliable markets for locally produced goods and unlock thousands of new jobs for young people. Speaking to the media this week, Minister for Industry and Trade Judith Kapinga said the strong performance reflects the growing impact of regional and global market access on Tanzania’s industrial and commercial sectors, saying that assured markets remain central to sustaining production and expanding trade.
According to Nam News Network, Minister Kapinga highlighted that intra-African trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has been a major driver of the export surge. The growth was propelled by increased exports of agricultural and industrial products, including coffee, tobacco, glass products, cereals, spices, and sisal fibers. AfCFTA has opened new markets for Tanzanian products in countries such as Nigeria, Morocco, Senegal, Ethiopia, Ghana, Algeria, Djibouti, and Guinea, creating fresh opportunities for exporters across multiple sectors.
Minister Kapinga emphasized the opportunity for young people to establish export-oriented businesses in agriculture, value addition, spices, food processing, clothing, and industrial products. The government has already prepared and launched a National Strategy for the Implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area to ensure citizens are well-positioned to benefit from the continental market and maximize gains for the national economy.
Beyond Africa, Tanzania continues to strengthen its presence in the European market. Exports to the European Union rose from 633.5 million US dollars in 2023 to 686.3 million US dollars in 2024, representing a 7.6 percent increase, largely driven by higher exports of avocados, cocoa, coffee, tobacco, and minerals. In Asia, Tanzania earned 2.84 billion US dollars from exports in 2024, compared to 2.92 billion US dollars in 2023, with key products including cashew nuts, pulses, avocados, cotton, groundnuts, and goat meat.
Kapinga stressed the importance of addressing structural challenges to enhance trade participation, particularly the need to accelerate business formalization and improve digital systems supporting investors and entrepreneurs. The government has made significant progress in simplifying business registration and licensing procedures, with further improvements underway.
All business registration and licensing services are now offered online through electronic platforms like the Online Registration System (ORS), the Tanzania National Business Portal (TNBP), and the Beneficial Ownership Portal (BO). These systems have improved service delivery by making processes faster and more accessible, and they are continuously being upgraded to enhance user-friendliness.
To further strengthen service delivery, the Business Registrations and Licensing Agency (BRELA) has established a Customer Service Call Centre, receiving between 300 and 500 calls daily. The call center has improved communication with customers and the speed at which challenges are addressed, with all calls recorded and archived to support accountability and continuous service improvement.