TAZARA concession deal to be signed within a month

By BUUMBA CHIMBULU
GOVERNMENT is set to sign a concession agreement with the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) within the next month, in a bid to revitalise operations and boost regional trade.
Finance and National Planning Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane said the deal will be structured under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) to attract private sector investment and avoid placing additional strain on the national treasury.
Speaking at a public lecture on implementation challenges, organised by the Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula Foundation last week, Dr Musokotwane said the move aims to improve the seamless movement of goods and services along key regional trade routes.
“We will soon sign a concession agreement with TAZARA in the next one month at most. This will give us a whole corridor from Lobito, coming through Zambia and extending all the way to the port of Dar es Salaam. This is going to be a very important transport corridor for trade,” he said.
He explained that the TAZARA revamp will follow a similar financing model to the Lusaka–Ndola dual carriageway project, which is being developed through equity investment rather than borrowing.
Dr Musokotwane said the government has drawn lessons from rapidly developing economies such as Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam, which have successfully leveraged infrastructure investment to industrialise.
“I believe that while challenges remain, we now know what works. We have studied what other countries have done, and this is the path we are taking,” he said.
The Minister emphasised that regional collaboration will be crucial in maximising the benefits of such infrastructure, noting that increased trade between African nations is key to creating wealth, reducing poverty, and promoting prosperity.
“With time, African countries will learn from each other, consolidate what works, and increase trade for mutual benefit,” Dr Musokotwane said.