Tanzania on Thursday launched a 541-km modern standard gauge railway (SGR) linking its administrative capital, Dodoma, with its commercial hub, Dar es Salaam. This significant infrastructure project, constructed by Turkish firm Yapi Merkezi, marks a major step in the government’s ambitious drive to enhance transport networks across the country.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan officiated the launch of the electric train services at a vibrant ceremony in Dar es Salaam, before embarking on a four-hour journey to Dodoma. The new railway line, costing $3.1 billion, is part of a planned 2,561-km rail network poised to boost both domestic and regional trade upon completion.
African nations have been prioritizing infrastructure development, including roads, railways, and bridges and the Tanzanian government remains resolute in its commitment to infrastructural advancements.
“We are continuing to construct the railway up to Kigoma until we connect with neighbouring countries so that we can improve our businesses,” President Hassan declared to an enthusiastic crowd at a train station on the outskirts of Dar es Salaam.
The sections inaugurated on Thursday were partially funded by a $1.46 billion loan agreement with Standard Chartered Bank Tanzania, signed in 2020. Hassan’s administration is concurrently developing a rail link towards the Lake Victoria port city of Mwanza and preparing to initiate construction of another line to Kigoma in the west. This extension aims to forge vital connections with Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“This railway is going to liberate our businesses,” Hassan asserted during a stop in the eastern city of Morogoro. The President highlighted the economic potential of the railway, particularly once the link to Burundi becomes operational. The Tanzanian finance ministry projects that the partnership will enable the transport of three million tons of minerals annually, including nickel, to Dar es Salaam’s port.
As Tanzania advances its transport infrastructure, the nation anticipates significant economic growth and strengthened trade ties within the region.
