Top 10 Companies Driving Tanzania’s Economic Growth (2025)

Tanzania’s economic transformation is propelled not only by sectors but also by corporate players that are scaling, innovating, and setting benchmarks for growth. From banking and telecommunications to energy, manufacturing, and infrastructure, these companies are the engines driving GDP expansion, job creation, and industrialization. Investors looking at Tanzania must understand which players lead key markets and infrastructure projects to identify strategic opportunities.

1. CRDB Bank Plc

CRDB Bank is one of Tanzania’s largest banks, managing over USD 6 billion in assets. It drives SME financing and digital banking adoption, leveraging mobile money platforms to reach unbanked populations. Its consistent profitability and regional expansion plans make it a bellwether for financial sector growth.

2. Vodacom Tanzania

Vodacom dominates mobile telecommunications with over 18 million subscribers. The company is expanding mobile money and broadband services, enabling e-commerce, fintech, and enterprise solutions. Its digital infrastructure investments are central to fueling Tanzania’s emerging digital economy.

3. National Microfinance Bank (NMB)

NMB serves both urban and rural populations, focusing on financial inclusion. Its strategic role in government-backed lending programs and partnerships with agribusinesses positions it as a critical enabler of SME and agricultural growth.

4. Tanzania Breweries Limited (TBL)

TBL leads Tanzania’s beverage sector with a diversified portfolio and strong distribution networks. Its contribution to domestic taxes, employment, and local supply chains demonstrates the economic multiplier effect of consumer-facing and manufacturing companies.

5. Julius Berger Tanzania

Julius Berger is a leader in construction and infrastructure, driving major projects such as roads, bridges, and commercial buildings. Its scale, engineering expertise, and long-term government contracts make it a primary beneficiary of Tanzania’s infrastructure boom.

6. Twiga Cement

Twiga Cement is a top producer in the construction materials sector, supporting housing, commercial real estate, and infrastructure development. Demand for cement is rising alongside urbanization and industrial projects, providing stable revenue and investment returns.

7. Yara Tanzania

Yara supplies fertilizers and advisory services to Tanzanian farmers, boosting crop yields and enabling agribusiness expansion. Its role underpins food security and export growth, particularly in commercial farming regions.

8. Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO)

TANESCO invests in power generation, transmission, and distribution, crucial for industrial and urban development. Partnerships with private investors on hydropower and renewable projects create opportunities for strategic engagement in energy infrastructure.

9. Precision Air

Precision Air is Tanzania’s leading domestic airline, connecting key economic centers and supporting tourism, trade, and business travel. Fleet expansion and strategic partnerships enhance mobility and regional connectivity.

10. Bakhresa Group

Azam the flagship brand of the Bakhresa Group is a diversified conglomerate active in food processing, beverages, and distribution. Its vertically integrated operations capture value across supply chains, create local employment, and drive industrialization.

Bonus: 5 Infrastructure Companies Driving Growth

11. China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC)

CCECC is constructing key sections of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), including the Isaka–Mwanza and Tabora–Kigoma lines, enhancing regional connectivity and trade. Its projects also include the Magufuli Bridge over Lake Victoria and the Central Railway Line rehabilitation.

12. China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC)

CRCC collaborates with CCECC on SGR projects, focusing on critical railway segments to modernize Tanzania’s transport infrastructure and improve freight and passenger mobility.

13. Yapi Merkezi (Turkey)

Yapi Merkezi is undertaking the construction of a 368-kilometer electrified SGR line between Tabora and Isaka, including stations, depots, and electrification works. The company also handles the Makutupora–Tabora Railway, designed to be the region’s first electric railway system.

14. China Gezhouba Group

In partnership with TANESCO, China Gezhouba Group develops the Rumakali Hydroelectric Power Station in Njombe District, adding 222 MW to Tanzania’s national grid, supporting industrialization and urban electrification.

15. Sinoma International Engineering (China)

Sinoma is constructing a cement factory in Tanga, with Phase 1 valued at USD 1 billion. The plant will produce cement for domestic use and export to neighboring countries, meeting rising construction demand from urbanization and industrial projects.

Investor Insight

These 15 companies illustrate how Tanzania’s growth is anchored in both private enterprise and public-private partnerships. Investors can explore equity partnerships, joint ventures, or service contracts to leverage the scale, networks, and sector expertise of these leading companies. From banking and digital infrastructure to energy and construction, these corporate players represent the core engines of Tanzania’s economic expansion.