MINISTER of State in the President’s Office (Planning and Investment) Prof. Kitila Mkumbo, has urged government officials to actively reduce barriers and create a more conducive environment for the success of investors and business owners across the country.

His remarks came during the launch of the Tanzania Investment Centre (TIC) Nyasa regional office yesterday here, which will serve the Njombe, Iringa, Ruvuma and Mtwara regions.

Prof. Mkumbo emphasised the crucial role that businesspeople play in the country’s economy.

He noted that the government’s ability to collect taxes—an essential responsibility, depends on the success of the private sector, particularly businesspersons.

“Businesspeople are not just contributors to taxes, they are the engine driving this country’s economic power,” Prof. Mkumbo said, highlighting the government’s duty to create a supportive environment for business growth.

He added: “Without a thriving business sector, we cannot expect to collect the necessary taxes or pay civil servant salaries.”

The minister also stressed the importance of respect between government officials and business owners.

He explained that many successful countries are those where leaders respect the entrepreneurial community, stating that no government leader has ever thrived by neglecting the business sector.

“The downfall of leaders often comes from disregarding businesses. A prosperous country respects businesses, and so should its leaders,” he said.

The establishment of the TIC Nyasa office is part of the government’s ongoing efforts to make Tanzania more attractive to investors.

Prof. Mkumbo expressed confidence that the new office would streamline services for investors, ensuring faster, more transparent, and efficient service delivery.

“We want Tanzania to be a better place to invest, and the Nyasa TIC office will help investors to access services quickly,” he said.

Binilith Mahenge, chairman of the TIC board of directors noted that the opening of the office will greatly benefit the people in the surrounding regions by offering local access to investment services previously only available in Mbeya.

“By bringing the services closer to the people, we will speed up the development of our investment sector and address challenges while identifying opportunities,” Mahenge said.

Gilead Teri, TIC’s executive director outlined the services available at the Nyasa office, including issuing investment certificates that grant tax exemptions and helping investors secure land for their ventures.

He praised the efforts of the Njombe Regional Commissioner for making the new office a reality.

Njombe Regional Commissioner, Anthony Mtaka called on public servants to ensure that investors are not discouraged by local bureaucratic issues.

“While President Samia advocates for investment on international platforms, we must ensure that local challenges do not stand in the way of progress,” Mtaka said.

Sifaely Msigala, chairman of the Njombe region business association, highlighted that businesspersons’ major complaint is the multitude of taxes imposed by the government outside the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) scope.

He highlighted the impact of such taxes on the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), urging the government to consider reforms to ease the burden on businesses.