Dar es Salaam has once again positioned itself at the centre of East Africa’s investment dialogue, hosting the East Africa Nordic Investment Summit on 25-26 February 2026. The two-day gathering brought together government leaders, Nordic partners, investors, financial institutions, and entrepreneurs to strengthen digital transformation and accelerate structured industrial investment.
Organized by Innovation for Development (I4D), the summit focused on aligning digital systems, capital structuring, and policy frameworks to support Tanzania’s industrialization agenda and expand cross-border trade between East Africa and Nordic countries.
Digital Transformation as an Investment Driver
Opening the summit, Tanzania’s Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment, Pius Chaya, emphasized that digital transformation must be seen as an economic transformation. “Digital transformation serves as the backbone of investment mobilization. It strengthens governance, improves service delivery, and supports enterprise growth across key sectors including agriculture, manufacturing, and trade,” he said.
Chaya reaffirmed Tanzania’s ambition of building a USD 1 trillion economy by 2050, with the private sector expected to contribute 70% of GDP growth. For investors, this signals a clear government commitment to enabling private capital as the engine of growth.
The Director General of Tanzania’s ICT Commission, Dr. Nkundwe Mwasaga, outlined the country’s digital pillars: skills, cyber security, communication services, public infrastructure, and innovation ecosystems. He highlighted smartphone penetration and interoperable payment systems as critical enablers of investor confidence, reducing transaction risks and expanding consumer markets.
Representing the private sector, Muntazir Fazel of Grant Thornton noted that the digital economy has become the foundation of competitiveness and sustainable growth. For investors, this translates into opportunities in fintech, e-commerce, logistics, and digital services.
Special Economic Zones: Incentives and Opportunities
Day two of the summit focused on Special Economic Zones (SEZs), export competitiveness, and youth participation in industrial development. Anna Rimo, Director of SEZs at the Tanzania Investment and Special Economic Zones Authority (TISEZA), explained the fiscal incentives available to investors:
- Tax relief for up to 10 years
- VAT exemptions on goods and services linked to production
- Import duty exemptions on capital goods
She highlighted strategic SEZ projects such as Nala in Dodoma, Kwala in Kibaha, Buswagi in Shinyanga, the Benjamin William Mkapa Export Processing Zone, and the Bagamoyo SEZ, which spans nearly 9,800 hectares. These zones are designed to attract manufacturing, logistics, and service investments, while also creating opportunities for SMEs and youth in packaging, warehousing, catering, and digital services.
For investors, SEZs offer predictable incentives, reduced operational costs, and access to regional and international markets, making them a gateway to scalable returns.
Youth Agri-Export Hub: New Market Access
A highlight of the summit was the launch of the Tanzania Youth Agri-Export Hub, an initiative designed to increase exports of youth-led agribusinesses to the UK market. The hub provides compliance guidance, quality assurance, branding, traceability systems, and direct market linkages. For investors, this represents a structured pipeline of export-ready enterprises with international certification standards, reducing entry risks and ensuring premium market access.
About I4D
Innovation for Development (I4D), licensed as an Investors’ Service Provider by TISEZA, builds digital platforms and trade systems that connect producers, start-ups, and SMEs with regional and international markets. Its mission is to translate innovation into structured investment, scalable enterprises, and measurable development impact across Tanzania and East Africa.
