Tanzania denies reports of Saudis' involvement in Bagamoyo Port

Dar es Salaam. The government has officially stated that it has not entered into any agreements with any private investor regarding the development of the Bagamoyo Special Economic Zone (BSEZ) project. 

The clarification follows reports from an Arabic media outlet on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, claiming that Saudi Arabia had acquired Bagamoyo Port as part of the “East Gate” project. 

Bagamoyo Port is a component of the BSEZ. 

The misleading report suggested that the project would cover 800 hectares, making it one of the largest maritime developments in the region. 

The Minister of State in the President's Office (Planning and Investment), Prof Kitila Mkumbo, told Parliament on February 14, 2024, that the reports on Bagamoyo Port were false. 

Prof Mkumbo reiterated that the government had not entered into any agreements with any investor regarding the project. 

“We have no contracts or agreements with any investor regarding the Bagamoyo project,” he stated. 

He clarified that the government was in various stages of implementing the BSEZ, one of 17 model projects under the third development plan for 2021/22 to 2025/26. 

The BSEZ will encompass multiple interlinked developments, including a port, industrial zones, ICT hubs, a free trade zone, and a railway station. 

Prof Mkumbo said the project would be implemented through a public-private partnership (PPP) model, with various domestic and international stakeholders expressing interest in collaborating with the government. 

“We wish to clarify that no formal commitment or contractual agreement has been made with any investor at this stage,” he noted.  

The minister also emphasised that, given the scale and significance of the BSEZ, the public would be kept informed at every stage of its implementation.