Dar es Salaam. Local investors have been encouraged to take advantage of the incentives provided by the Export Processing Zones Authority (EPZA) to establish industries and contribute to economic growth.
Currently, over 43 percent of industries under EPZA are owned by local investors, following government efforts to improve business and investment environment in the country.
“EPZA is well-placed to offer a wide range of investor support services, including investment facilitation, licensing, linkages to a range of investment opportunities,” the Senior Investment Promotion Officer at EPZA, Mr Panduka Yonazi, said at the industrial exhibitions taking place at the Sabasaba grounds along Kilwa road in Dar es Salaam over the weekend.
He said the Authority provides pre- and after-care services that include the provision of guidance and comprehensive information about the establishment of the Export Processing Zones and Special Economic Zones investment in the country.
Panduka said EPZA has used the industrial fair to provide information to exhibitors on the investment opportunities and incentives that can be accessed through EPZA.
The industrial fair gives local investors’ confidence to establish industries and enhance its contributions to building industrial economy. He said further that the exhibition has been an opportunity for local investors including private business owners who visited the EPZA pavilion, seek information on investment opportunities.
“We told local investors on the enabling environment that the government is offering for them to invest and grow their businesses,” he added.
The EPZA is responsible for steering and implementing government policy on promotion of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in Tanzania.
Other functions of the EPZA are developing Export Processing Zones (EPZ) and SEZ infrastructure; provision of business services to foreign direct and domestic investors, and issuing EPZ and SEZ licences. The Authority functions as a One-Stop Services Centre for all prospective and existing investors.
Total capital investment through the Export Processing Zones and Special Economic Zones projects hit $2.6 billion, export revenue worth $1.3 billion - and over 50,000 directed jobs created by January this year.
