Arusha to host East Africa's largest conference centre

Arusha. The Arusha International Conference Centre (AICC) has signed a partnership agreement with the Public Service Social Security Fund (PSSSF) for the construction of a new international conference centre worth over Sh385 billion.

The planned Mount Kilimanjaro International Conference Centre (MKICC), expected to be completed within two years, with the centre scheduled to open in 2027, is set to become the largest in East and Central Africa.

The agreement was signed by AICC’s executive director, Ms Christine Mwakatobe, and PSSSF’s director general, Mr Abdul Razzaq Badru, on Sunday March 09, 2025.

Also read: Tanzania strives to become Africa's conference centre

The facility will feature a large auditorium with a capacity of more than 5,000 people, a five-star hotel with 500 rooms, 10 presidential suites, a 20,000-square-metre commercial area, parking for 2,000 vehicles, and a helicopter landing pad.

Speaking during the signing ceremony, the Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office responsible for Labour, Youth, Employment and Persons with Disabilities, Mr Ridhiwani Jakaya Kikwete, noted that the centre is part of the government’s strategy to boost the conference tourism in Tanzania.

“This project will leave a significant mark on the country, as many large-scale projects like this typically rely on foreign partners. However, this will be built through a partnership between Tanzanians, using Tanzanian funds,” said Mr Kikwete.

He urged all stakeholders to ensure the timely and high-quality completion of the project as stipulated in the agreement.

“While similar projects may take over four to six years, this one is set to begin this year and be completed by 2027—within just two years. This requires rapid progress, and we must ensure that work is done on time,” he added.

Mr Kikwete warned that any attempt to delay the project would result in severe disciplinary and legal action to ensure that the national initiative is completed as planned.

Witnessing the signing ceremony, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Mr Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, described the project as a significant step in the development of the country’s tourism and economy.

“The MKICC is part of the government’s efforts to develop conference tourism and increase national income,” he said.

“This sector presents a major economic opportunity because, in addition to generating revenue from conferences, it will create jobs, especially for young people, and stimulate business activities, transportation and services related to international meetings,” he added.

Mr Kombo also highlighted Tanzania’s current challenge in hosting international conferences due to a lack of large conference venues.

“Currently, Tanzania has great potential for international conferences, but we are often unable to accommodate all the requests,” he said, adding that Tanzania recently had to turn away more than 1,500 attendees after hosting an event with over 5,000 people.

“Each participant was spending over $100 (approximately Sh250,000) per day, excluding accommodation. This shows the significant potential revenue we are missing out on by not having adequate facilities,” he explained.

Mr Kombo emphasised that the MKICC is expected to be completed on time, with plans to host the ‘Apimondia’ International Bee and Honey Conference once the centre is operational.

“We are committed to completing the project quickly, as we already have international clients, including those from the global beekeeping and honey industry. We also aim for the centre to host at least four to five major conferences each year, with participants spending around $100 (Sh250,000) per day,” he said.

Arusha Regional Commissioner Paul Makonda stated that the region is actively promoting the MKICC to attract international conferences.