During talks at State House in Dar es Salaam on Friday, Dangote told President Samia that Tanzania had emerged as one of the group’s priority investment destinations in Africa, citing policy stability, a predictable investment environment and improving economic conditions as key drivers behind the renewed confidence.
“We are looking at areas in Africa where we can lead major investment, and Tanzania is an important part of that discussion,” Dangote said in remarks released by the Directorate of Presidential Communications.
The meeting reviewed opportunities for the Dangote Group to deepen its presence in Tanzania across sectors including energy, ports, infrastructure, natural gas, fertiliser and industrial manufacturing, building on the company’s existing operations in the southern Mtwara region.
The discussions also explored a potential partnership on a crude oil refinery project estimated at about $17 billion, which would be designed to serve Tanzania, East Africa and neighbouring Ethiopia. The proposed refinery would rank among the largest industrial projects in the region if implemented, underscoring Tanzania’s growing ambitions to position itself as a regional energy and logistics hub.
Dangote said the refinery project could be structured to allow equity participation by countries across the region, arguing that Africa needed to accelerate efforts to develop domestic refining capacity in order to reduce dependence on imported petroleum products and shield economies from global supply disruptions.
“We would like to partner with the government and make sure that we put it on a very high speed,” he said.
The Tanzanian government has in recent years intensified efforts to attract strategic foreign investment into large-scale industrial and energy projects, while pushing reforms aimed at improving the ease of doing business and strengthening investor confidence.
Dangote’s remarks represent one of the strongest endorsements yet from a major African investor regarding Tanzania’s current investment trajectory under President Samia’s administration.
“I want to sincerely thank you for sorting out most of our problems with the investment in Mtwara,” Dangote said during the meeting. “When you came in, we had a series of problems, but as you promised, every single problem has been resolved.”
The Dangote Group operates one of Tanzania’s largest cement plants in Mtwara, a facility that has faced operational difficulties in previous years, including challenges linked to energy supply, logistics and regulatory issues.
Dangote said the company had since stabilised operations and was now expanding its logistics infrastructure to improve efficiency and lower operating costs.
According to the company, about 400 compressed natural gas-powered trucks have already been deployed in Tanzania to support cement transportation and distribution. The group plans to convert up to 700 trucks to run on the fuel as part of a broader strategy to cut costs and strengthen supply chain performance.
The move aligns with Tanzania’s efforts to commercialise its substantial natural gas reserves and promote cleaner industrial energy alternatives.
Dangote said the Mtwara cement plant was expected to produce about 2.8 million tonnes this year against an installed capacity of roughly 3.2 million tonnes, indicating a significant rebound in performance.
“We are doing well,” he said. “I must thank you for your leadership, because without your leadership, the market would not have been created for us to be able to do our volume of business.”
He also highlighted Tanzania’s macroeconomic stability as a critical factor influencing investor sentiment, particularly at a time when several African economies continue to grapple with inflationary pressures and currency volatility.
“The currency here is very stable compared to a lot of countries in Africa, and that is important for investment,” Dangote said.
Analysts say the comments are likely to reinforce Tanzania’s image among regional and international investors as one of East Africa’s more stable long-term investment destinations.
President Samia assured Dangote of continued government cooperation and encouraged the conglomerate to explore additional commercially viable projects capable of supporting Tanzania’s industrialisation agenda and regional economic integration goals.
She also welcomed the possibility of investment in fertiliser manufacturing, noting that domestic demand remained higher than existing local production capacity.
The renewed engagement with the Dangote Group comes as Tanzania seeks to accelerate industrial growth, expand value-added manufacturing, and leverage its strategic location along the Indian Ocean to strengthen trade and energy links across eastern and central Africa.
For the Dangote Group, already one of Africa’s largest industrial conglomerates with interests spanning cement, fertilizer, sugar, oil refining, and logistics, the discussions signal a broader push to consolidate its footprint in East Africa at a time when governments across the continent are competing aggressively for large-scale capital investment.
The outcome of the talks is expected to be closely watched by investors and regional policymakers, particularly as Tanzania positions itself as a gateway market for industrial expansion in sub-Saharan Africa.
Notes to Editors
– Nigerian industrialist Aliko Dangote signalled plans to expand the Dangote Group’s investments in Tanzania following high-level talks with President Samia Suluhu Hassan in Dar es Salaam.
– Discussions focused on potential investments across energy, ports, infrastructure, natural gas, fertiliser production and industrial manufacturing.
– The talks included a proposed crude oil refinery project estimated at approximately 17 billion US dollars, potentially one of the largest industrial investments in East Africa.
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