Zanzibar signs Sh30.9 billion partnership to restore key heritage sites
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, Dr Aboud Suleiman Jumbe (right), exchanges documents with Infinity Development Chief Executive Officer and Chairman Samuel Saba during a ceremony held at the ministry offices in Unguja, Zanzibar.
Unguja . The Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar has signed a cooperation agreement with Infinity Developments to restore and revitalise major historical and heritage sites, in a move aimed at strengthening sustainable tourism while easing pressure on the public budget.
The agreement, signed through the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and the Ministry of Labour and Investment, will see Infinity Developments invest $12 million (Sh30.9 billion) in the first phase of the project.
The investment will target key locations within the Unesco World Heritage Site of Stone Town, including Tenga Garden, Africa House and the historic Wakf building of Khoja Ismailia.
The OLd Fort Is among the heritage sites that is to be restored under the programme
Speaking on February 19, 2026, the ministry’s permanent secretary, Dr Aboud Suleiman Jumbe, said the agreement marked a new phase in Zanzibar’s cultural and economic development by positioning heritage conservation as a pillar of sustainable tourism.
He said the arrangement would also ease the heavy budgetary burden the government has been carrying each year to manage conservation, restoration and development of historic sites in Unguja and Pemba.
“The government is often forced to divert funds needed for urgent public services such as education, health, water, agriculture, energy, community development and basic infrastructure,” he said.
Dr Jumbe said that without private sector participation in tourism and heritage investment, the government would continue to provide subsidies worth billions of shillings to preserve historic sites.
Through its Infinity Culture Programme, the company has committed about $12 million in the first phase for restoration works, infrastructure upgrades, conservation activities and improvements to visitor experience.
Infinity Developments chief executive and chairman, Mr Samuel Saba, said Zanzibar’s culture and history set it apart from other islands worldwide, in addition to the hospitality of its people.
He said the project was among the largest recent public–private partnership investments in the heritage sector and would strengthen conservation as a pillar of Zanzibar’s long-term tourism and development strategy.
