SONGWE, Tanzania – A domestic agro-processing investor, Lima Kwanza Limited, has emerged as a model beneficiary of Tanzania’s investment incentives, as the National Campaign for the Promotion of Local Investment visited the company’s project in Nyimbili Ward, Mbozi District.
The campaign delegation, led by officials from the Tanzania Investment Special Economic Zones Authority (TISEZA), toured the facility to assess the impact of government-backed incentives on local industrial growth.
From Primary Processing to Industrial Expansion
Speaking during the visit, the project owner, Mr. Tinson Nzunda, said the company began operations in 2003, focusing on agricultural value addition particularly coffee and avocado processing.
Over two decades, the enterprise has expanded significantly and currently employs more than 1,048 Tanzanians, contributing to both local livelihoods and regional agro-industrial development. Nzunda attributed the company’s expansion to structured collaboration with TISEZA, particularly fiscal incentives aimed at lowering capital investment barriers.
“The support we received enabled us to reduce initial capital strain and scale our production capacity,” he explained.
Among the key incentives was a 75 percent customs duty reduction on imported production machinery. The concession reduced upfront equipment costs, allowing reinvestment into operational expansion, workforce growth, and technology upgrades.
Strengthening Domestic Investment in Songwe
Also addressing stakeholders, Mr. Daudi Riganda, Manager for Investment Promotion at TISEZA, encouraged medium and large-scale entrepreneurs in Songwe Region to attend an entrepreneurship seminar scheduled for 20 February 2026.
The seminar aims to educate investors on:
• Available tax and non-tax incentives
• Investment facilitation services
• Regulatory compliance pathways within Special Economic Zones
Riganda emphasized that the objective is to cultivate more domestic investors capable of replicating the Lima Kwanza model, thereby accelerating regional industrialization and inclusive economic growth.
Strategic Implications
Songwe Region, known for its strong agricultural base, holds substantial potential for agro-processing and export-oriented manufacturing. By incentivizing value addition within the region, authorities aim to:
• Reduce post-harvest losses
• Increase export earnings
• Create sustainable employment
• Expand the domestic industrial base
The visit underscores the government’s broader strategy of shifting from raw commodity exports toward industrial value chains driven by local investors.
As Tanzania intensifies its push for domestic capital formation, Lima Kwanza Limited stands as a case study in how policy incentives, when effectively utilized, can catalyse long-term industrial growth and employment generation.
