DODOMA, Tanzania – In a significant move to empower young Tanzanians in the mining sector, the government has cancelled 73 exploration and mining licences covering 3,002 square kilometres (approximately 741,000 acres) that were held by non-compliant licence holders.
The announcement was made by Minister for Minerals Anthony Mavunde in Dodoma, who revealed that the reclaimed land will now be reallocated to support the Mining for a Brighter Tomorrow (MBT) youth programme, following President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s directives.
“This cancellation clears substantial mining areas that will now be available for our young people to access meaningful opportunities through the MBT programme,” stated Minister Mavunde. He explained that many licence holders had abandoned sites, violated licence conditions, or failed to develop them as required under the Mining Act, creating long-standing barriers that prevented youth from entering the sector.
Addressing Land Scarcity for Youth
The minister identified land availability as the most significant challenge facing youth participation in mining. “Many areas were being held without development, yet youth across the country are eager to engage in mining,” Mavunde emphasized, noting that the MBT pilot phase had already begun in Tarime, Nyang’hwale, Geita and Chunya, but expansion was limited by unused mining licences.
The reclaimed territories will be reorganised and allocated to youth groups through the MBT framework, which is being implemented jointly by the Ministry of Minerals and the State Mining Corporation (STAMICO).
Successful Model from North Mara
Minister Mavunde highlighted a successful intervention in Tarime, where 2,500 young people who previously intruded on the North Mara mine were issued legal mining permits following discussions with Barrick leadership. This enabled unused licences to be converted into regulated mining spaces for youth.
“The level of intrusion at North Mara has dropped significantly, and we intend to replicate this model across the country,” the minister said, adding that the ministry will continue organizing youth and equipping them with skills needed for exploration, extraction, processing, valuation and mineral trading.
The government remains committed to bringing more young people into a well-structured mining system that supports their progress and ensures they benefit from the growing mining sector.
