Economy: Tanzania
Key Facts
—Who. Prof Kitila Mkumbo, Tanzania’s Minister of State in the President’s Office for Planning and Investment, speaking to Dutch investors.
—What. An investment pitch for mining, agriculture and port logistics at a Tanzania–EU business roadshow.
—Where. The Hague, the Netherlands.
—When. Reported on Wednesday 7 October 2026, after the roadshow stop in The Hague earlier this week.
—US link. Several minerals on offer, including graphite, nickel, copper and rare earths, overlap with US critical-mineral interests.
—Status. The pitch is an invitation, not a deal. The reports we reviewed name no Dutch company and no investment amount.
—As of. 8 October 2026, 00:30 GMT
Tanzania’s planning minister has taken his investment pitch to the Netherlands. In The Hague he asked Dutch firms to move beyond trade and to put money into mining, farming and ports. The sectors overlap with what US companies want from East Africa, from minerals to shipping routes.
What We Know
Prof Kitila Mkumbo, Tanzania’s Minister of State in the President’s Office for Planning and Investment, spoke at a Tanzania–EU business roadshow in The Hague, according to The Citizen. He told Dutch and European investors, “come to Tanzania not only to trade with us, but to invest with us.”
Mining was among the sectors he named, with gold, graphite, nickel, copper and rare earth elements on the list. He said, “Our objective is not simply to export minerals as raw materials,” and he stressed processing and manufacturing at home.
He turned next to agriculture, naming horticulture, coffee, tea, cashew nuts, spices, livestock, fisheries and grains. TanzaniaInvest quotes him calling agriculture “the first priority sector for European and Dutch investors.”
He tied farming to logistics, saying, “agriculture and logistics must be developed together.” The Port of Dar es Salaam handles about 95% of Tanzania’s international trade and serves landlocked neighbours including Zambia, Malawi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and Zimbabwe.
The Wider Roadshow
TanzaniaInvest reports that about 90 businesses took part in The Hague stop, the last of three European roadshows. The Tanzanian side pitched coffee and cashew processing, new ports at Bagamoyo, Mwambani in Tanga and Mangapwani in Zanzibar, four dry ports and two new standard gauge railway lines.
The same outlet says the Netherlands is Tanzania’s largest investor from the European Union, with about 80 Dutch companies already operating in the country. It also reports that the roadshows draw on a national list of 68 projects worth US$30.1 billion.
The roadshows are the first phase of the EU–Tanzania Investment and Business Forum 2026–2027. A high-level forum in Dar es Salaam is planned for early 2027, according to the European Commission.
Why Dutch Investors
The Netherlands is the world’s second-largest agricultural exporter despite its small land area, according to TanzaniaInvest. Tanzania sees Dutch farming know-how as a natural fit for its push to add value at home.
Tanzania’s pitch is that it can offer land, minerals and a coast that serves a large part of the region. Whether investors agree will depend on rules, power supply and the speed of approvals.
What Is Not Known
The reports we reviewed name no Dutch company and give no investment figure from the minister, so there is no sign yet of a signed project. The US$30.1 billion pipeline is a list of opportunities, not committed money.
It is also unclear how many of the projects will reach financing, and on what terms for minerals processing. Investors will look for clear rules on approvals and on minerals processing.
What It Means for US Readers and Investors
For US investors and miners, the pitch signals that Tanzania is courting European capital in the same minerals that US supply chains want. Competition from Dutch and other EU buyers could shape who gets access to graphite, nickel and rare earth projects.
US shippers and food companies may also see openings at the new ports and in processed coffee and cashew nuts. For context on the country’s economy, see our report on the earnings of Tanzania’s electric railway.
More: Tanzania news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Kitila Mkumbo?
Prof Kitila Mkumbo is Tanzania’s Minister of State in the President’s Office for Planning and Investment. He led the pitch to Dutch investors in The Hague.
Which sectors did Tanzania pitch to Dutch investors?
He named mining, including gold, graphite, nickel, copper and rare earths, plus agriculture and port logistics. He asked investors to add value locally rather than export raw materials.
How important is the Port of Dar es Salaam?
It handles about 95% of Tanzania’s international trade and serves landlocked neighbours such as Zambia, Malawi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to The Citizen.
Has any Dutch investment been announced?
No. The reports we reviewed name no company and no amount, and the roadshow is a first step toward a forum planned in Dar es Salaam for early 2027.
Sources
The Citizen · TanzaniaInvest (The Hague roadshow) · TanzaniaInvest (68-project pipeline) · European Commission (EU–Tanzania forum)
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief