Industrialisation drive on Bagamoyo Eco Maritime City

Tanzania is positioning the Bagamoyo Eco Maritime City (BEMC) as a central pillar of its long-term industrialisation strategy under Dira 2050, aiming to transform the country into a regional transport, logistics and manufacturing hub.
Information released by the Tanzania Investment and Special Economic Zones Authority (Tiseza) says that the flagship project is anchored on the development of a world-class deep-sea port at Mbegani, designed to serve as the primary gateway for international and intra-African trade along the eastern seaboard by 2050.
 
The port is expected to support export-led industrialisation by linking maritime trade with large-scale value addition and manufacturing.
Under the BEMC master plan, the port will be integrated with an industrial park, technology park and Special Economic Zone (SEZ), supported by extensive infrastructure including roads, railways, logistics facilities, power, water, gas supply and digital connectivity. 
The project also provides business support services such as finance, telecommunications and professional services, alongside real estate and social infrastructure including housing, education and healthcare.

Government officials say the coordinated rollout of these anchor projects is intended to address long-standing constraints to industrial growth, including high logistics costs, fragmented infrastructure and limited access to serviced industrial land.
The BEMC project aligns closely with Tanzania’s current policy framework on industrialisation. It features prominently in the CCM Election Manifesto 2025–2030, which commits the government to expanding industrial parks, SEZs and free trade zones as part of its economic transformation agenda.

The initiative also reflects priorities outlined by President Samia Suluhu Hassan in her maiden address to the 13th Parliament on November 14, 2025, following her re-election, in which she announced plans to establish an additional modern SEZ in Bagamoyo aimed at job creation, particularly for young people.
Implementation of BEMC is expected to coincide with the rollout of Tanzania’s First National Five-Year Development Plan (2026/27–2030/31), approved by Parliament and effective from July 1, 2026. 
The plan identifies industrialisation, logistics and trade facilitation as key drivers of economic growth.

The success of BEMC, though, will depend on execution, investor uptake and regional competitiveness, as Tanzania seeks to position Bagamoyo as a rival to established ports and industrial hubs in East and Southern Africa.
If delivered as planned, BEMC could significantly reshape Tanzania’s role in global and regional trade by integrating port services with manufacturing and export-oriented industries.