Barrick North Mara is a key stakeholder, having surrendered 13 mining licences and funded training programmes designed to equip beneficiaries with the skills needed to engage in modern and productive mining
Tarime. Implementation of a government–Barrick initiative to support small-scale miners around the North Mara Gold Mine in Nyamongo is progressing steadily after its launch in May 2025.
The project forms part of the government’s Mining for a Brighter Tomorrow (MBT) Programme, which runs from 2025 to 2030 and seeks to expand opportunities for women, young people, and persons with disabilities across the mineral value chain.
Barrick North Mara is a key stakeholder, having surrendered 13 mining licences and funded training programmes designed to equip beneficiaries with the skills needed to engage in modern and productive mining.
More than 2,000 people are expected to benefit once the project is fully rolled out.
Mara Region Resident Mining Officer, Amini Msuya, said the project had reached an advanced stage, following the government’s issuance of 48 mining licences to groups of beneficiaries.
“We continue to assure artisanal miners from villages surrounding North Mara that this project will set a new benchmark for Tanzania and possibly Africa. It aims to ensure communities own mining operations and benefit directly from mineral trade,” he said.
Mr Msuya urged beneficiaries to be patient and to remain in close communication with his office for clarification or feedback.
“I ask small-scale miners to continue trusting the government and Barrick North Mara, as there is a genuine commitment to ensure they benefit,” he added.
During the project launch in May, the Ministry of Minerals noted that the initiative is the first of its kind in the country to bring together the government, a major mining firm, and local communities in a structured model that seeks to build long-term sustainability.
It has already drawn interest from global institutions, including the World Bank and the World Gold Council, which are exploring ways to support its implementation.
In her inaugural parliamentary speech, President Samia Suluhu Hassan said the government would continue strengthening strategies to ensure Tanzanians gain more from the mining sector, a key pillar of the national economy.
Barrick North Mara Mine Manager, Apolinary Lyambiko, said the company issued mining licences as part of efforts to maintain a strong and mutually beneficial relationship with surrounding communities.
