Tanzania streamlines mining licence system, slashes delays, cuts bureaucracy

Arusha. Improvements to the system for issuing and managing mining licences are expected to cut bureaucratic barriers for investors and miners, according to the Tanzanian Mineral Commission.

This was stated on Thursday, October 2, 2025, in Arusha by the Director of Legal Services at the Minerals Commission, Mr Francis Kayichile, who was speaking during a special training session on the system for issuing and managing mining licences for licensing officers from mining regions across the country.

He said issuing mining licences without following proper procedures had been identified as a source of disputes that could undermine mining operations and deprive the government of rightful revenue.

Mr Kayichile explained that the improved system would reduce opportunities for abuse of office and prevent delays in licence issuance.

"Currently, applicants can obtain a licence within three days if they meet the requirements, compared with seven to 14 days previously. Our goal is to ensure the process leaves no room for abuse," he said.

"We convened licensing officers from no fewer than 30 mineral‑rich regions to train them on how these procedures work under the improved system, to simplify the process for any Tanzanian or investor applying for a licence without encountering bureaucracy," he added.

He said the training would allow participants to learn and discuss matters related to these improvements, alongside the full procedure for processing applications for various mining licences.

"I take this opportunity to urge everyone to use this training period to discuss and strategise on cleaning licence data within the issuance and management system to ensure accurate information," he said.

Furthermore, Mr Kayichile stressed that revenue collection could not succeed if mining licences were not issued comprehensively and efficiently.

"It is clear that no mining project will proceed without proper licences. However, issuing licences without proper procedure could cause disputes that undermine operations," he said.

Earlier, the Commission’s Director of Licensing, Ms Aziza Swedi, said the Commission saw the importance of meeting officers handling licence processing to discuss challenges and find solutions to improve efficiency.

She said that following improvements to the processing and issuance system, they had been providing various training sessions to improve performance.

"As we understand, any improvement process will face implementation challenges. It was important to meet and address them together to enhance efficiency, ensuring investors receive quality services," she stressed.

She added that the improved system had enabled the Ministry of Minerals to surpass its revenue collection target for 2024/25, collecting over Sh1.07 trillion against a target of Sh999 billion.

A geologist from Songwe Region, Mr George Mchiwa, said the improvements had enabled them to work without challenges, noting shortcomings in the previous system.

"These trainings will improve performance, reminding us of our responsibilities without violating procedures and laws. The improved system now enables applicants to get their licences on time," he said.