Tanzania has intensified its drive to attract foreign capital into its mining industry, pitching regulatory reforms and expanded mineral processing ambitions to global investors at the 2026 Mining Indaba in South Africa.
Leading the delegation, Mining Minister Anthony Mavunde presented Tanzania as a politically stable and resource-rich destination seeking to shift from exporting raw minerals towards developing domestic processing capacity.
The move forms part of Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s broader economic agenda to accelerate industrialisation and deepen private-sector participation.
At meetings with development financiers, foreign diplomats and mining executives, Tanzanian officials underscored ongoing efforts to modernise geological data, streamline licensing processes and improve regulatory predictability.
The World Bank signalled support for strengthening geological mapping and institutional capacity, describing mining as a strategic pillar for economic growth and job creation.
For years, Tanzania has ranked among Africa’s leading gold producers, but the government is increasingly focused on critical minerals such as graphite, nickel and rare earth elements – commodities central to the global energy transition.
Officials argue that improving exploration data and encouraging in-country beneficiation will enable the country to capture greater value from its natural resources.
Australia, home to some of the world’s largest mining companies, identified Tanzania as an emerging frontier market.
Deputy High Commissioner Christopher Ellinger said Australian firms were closely monitoring regulatory clarity, particularly around local content requirements and partnership frameworks with domestic entities.
Among the projects highlighted was the Faru Graphite Mahenge development in Morogoro region, a joint venture involving Australia’s Black Rock Mining, which aims to position Tanzania within global electric vehicle battery supply chains.
In the gold sector, South Africa’s Plantcor Mining is finalising a partnership with Tanzania’s state-owned STAMICO to develop a project in Geita region.
Tanzanian banks are also expanding their footprint in the sector. NMB Bank, in collaboration with legal advisers, hosted discussions with investors on financing structures and compliance frameworks, signalling a growing role for domestic capital in resource development.
The government maintains that a more transparent and investor-friendly mining environment will help attract long-term capital while ensuring that local communities benefit from employment, skills transfer and infrastructure development.
As competition intensifies across Africa for mining investment linked to the global energy transition, Tanzania is seeking to position itself not only as a source of raw materials but as a participant in downstream processing and regional industrial growth.
Notes to Editors
– Tanzania is one of Africa’s leading gold producers and is increasingly targeting critical minerals such as graphite, nickel and rare earth elements, which are essential for electric vehicles, batteries and clean energy technologies.
– The government is pursuing a policy shift from exporting raw minerals toward domestic processing and value addition, in line with its Vision 2050 industrialisation agenda.
– Reforms include modernising geological data systems, streamlining licensing procedures and improving regulatory predictability to attract long-term private investment.
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