By Okuly Julius - Dodoma
The Minister for Minerals, Hon. Anthony Mavunde, has announced that the contribution of the mining sector to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has increased from 10.1 percent to 12 percent within the first 100 days of the Sixth Phase Government under President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan.
Minister Mavunde made the remarks on January 26, 2025, while presenting a public report on the implementation of the President’s commitments and the Government’s achievements during the 100-day period, at the Ministry of Information, Culture, Arts and Sports conference hall in the Government City of Mtumba, Dodoma.
He said that according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), prior to the 2025 target year, the mining sector’s contribution to GDP stood at 10.1 percent, but has continued to improve as a result of the Government’s deliberate efforts to enhance the investment climate and strengthen sector governance.
Furthermore, the Minister revealed that the Government expects to sign major mining agreements with large-scale mining companies in early February 2026 for the extraction of various minerals, including niobium in the Songwe Panda Hill Basin in Mbeya Region.
He explained that the project will go beyond mineral extraction to include the construction of a processing and value-addition plant for niobium, which will produce Ferro-Niobium. This initiative aims to boost national revenue and create employment opportunities for Tanzanians.
On geological exploration, Minister Mavunde stated that 97 percent of the country’s land area has so far been covered by basic geological surveys, 100 percent by magnetic surveys, and 24 percent by geochemical surveys.
He added that the Government’s target is to increase geochemical survey coverage to 50 percent by the year 2030, in line with the mining sector’s vision, which states that “Minerals are Life and Wealth.”
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