From roadbed to economic transformation: SGR lays the track for Tanzania’s Vision 2050

TABORA: IN Nyaua Village, the sound of excavators, bulldozers and graders signals another stage in Tanzania’s construction of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), where engineers are preparing and testing the ground before building the next layers of the railway.

The work is taking place on Lot Three of the SGR project, which covers the Makutupora-Tabora section.

According to Tanzania Railways Corporation (TRC), the section is 368 kilometres long, comprising 294 kilometres of main line and 74 kilometres of passing loops, with a construction contract worth 1.908 billion US dollars, equivalent to 4.406tri/-.

At the Nyaua site, Earthworks Engineer, Dereck Mushi of Yapi Merkezi said the immediate task was preparing the roadbed, the foundation on which the railway will be built. “We are here in Nyaua Village, at Km 750. As you can see, the work currently underway is preparing our roadbed. The experts are over there conducting a Lightweight Deflectometer Test, which is a test used to determine whether the roadbed is ready to proceed to the next layer,” he said.

He said a station was planned in the Nyaua area, where side clearance was still being undertaken, while preparation of layers had already started.

Eng Mushi said the team had also carried out site clearance towards Goweko, about 20 kilometres from the area, where preparations for a station were underway. TRC lists Goweko among the passenger and cargo stations planned along the Makutupora-Tabora section.

The roadbed preparation involves several technical stages before the contractor can proceed.

Eng Mushi said engineers first ensure that the contractor follows approved designs, including the required excavation depth from the Original Ground Level.

“We look at a stretch like this one to see how much it rises, and the design specifies how deep we should go from the Original Ground Level, the natural ground. If the contractor has excavated and reached the required level, we then approve to continue preparing the layer on which the railway will pass, which we call the roadbed,” he said.

Eng Mushi explained that excavators, bulldozers and graders are used to prepare the roadbed, followed by scarification, mixing and compaction of the natural soil.

After compaction, engineers inspect the surface, check survey levels and conduct tests against established standards before giving the contractor permission to proceed to the next layer.

“After the test, we look at the numbers to see whether they are correct. Then we give the contractor permission to proceed with the process of placing another layer of soil to continue with the next layer,” Eng Mushi said.

The activity on Lot Three is part of a wider SGR corridor extending through central and northern Tanzania.

Lot Four covers TaboraIsaka, a 165-kilometre section comprising 130 kilometres of main line and 35 kilometres of passing loops. TRC puts its construction contract at 900.1 million US dollars, equivalent to 2.094tri/-, with three stations planned at Nzubuka, Ipala and Bukene and a main workshop in Tabora.

Assistant Project Manager, Engineer Abdul Habibu, said construction was progressing, with unsuitable soil being removed and replaced with suitable fill material before the embankment reaches the required level for ballast, sleepers and rails.

The project, he said, would also create employment and business opportunities.

“During implementation, we expect various jobs. Operators, technicians and professionals in different fields have obtained employment,” he said.

He added that local suppliers were benefiting from demand for construction materials such as cement and reinforcement steel.

“The project has multiplier effects, starting from the level of industries up to the citizens living around our project,” Eng Habibu said.

Further north, Lot Five covers Isaka-Mwanza, a 341-kilometre section whose project cost is listed by TRC at S3.0617tri/-.

The section includes eight stations, Isaka, Bokene, Shinyanga, Seke, Malampaka, Bukwimba, Mantare and Mwanza Central.

Project officials interviewed for this story reported overall construction progress on Lot Five at 69.2 per cent, with more than 210 kilometres of sleepers laid out of the 341-kilometre section.

At Seke Station, construction had reached 66 per cent, with the facility expected to serve 140 passengers during peak hours.

Engineer Blasius Mwita, responsible for signalling and communications on Lot Five, said electrification work was also progressing.

“On the electrical side, specifically the catenary, the poles that support the electrical wires, we have reached 61.12 per cent,” he said.

He said the project would use 150,000 poles, with 130,000 already manufactured, while fencing had reached 40 per cent on both sides of the railway corridor.

The financial commitment behind the railway is also significant. In April 2026, the government signed a financing agreement worth approximately 1.277 billion US dollars to support completion of Lots Three and Four from Makutupora to Isaka.

The investment comes as Tanzania begins implementing its long-term development ambitions under Vision 2050.

The 2026/27 national budget is 62.33tri/-, with projected revenue of 46.79tri/-.

The Finance Ministry says the budget will support strategic development projects, including continued construction of the SGR, alongside roads, water, energy and investment in human resources and skills.

Within the transport sector, the 2026/27 estimates provide about 2.87tri/-, with 1.51tri/- in domestic financing allocated to SGR.

The ongoing works include construction on MakutuporaTabora, Tabora-Isaka and Isaka-Mwanza, among other railway projects.

This makes the railway more than a transport project.

Tanzania’s Long-Term Perspective Plan 2026/27– 2050/51 identifies strategic infrastructure such as SGR as important for improving connectivity and economic integration and for positioning the country as a regional logistics hub.

The Vision 2050 framework also seeks an integrated logistics network and competitive multimodal transport system capable of supporting domestic and international trade.

The economic argument is already visible along the construction corridor.

Eng Habibu said the project is creating jobs while enabling local suppliers and industries to participate in the construction supply chain.

For the communities surrounding the project, however, development also comes with responsibilities.

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Faith Mazigo, Social and Environmental Officer at Yapı Merkezi, said the project was paying close attention to environmental protection, community safety and workers’ safety.

“We pay great attention to the environment, the communities around us and safety at work. We ensure that all workers are safe, but also that the surrounding communities remain safe throughout the project,” she said.

She said communities were discouraged from entering construction areas during operations, while measures were taken to protect livestock.

Workers were required to use protective equipment, including gloves, helmets and reflective clothing.

She also said the project was taking measures to minimise unnecessary cutting of forests and prevent fires.

As Tanzania begins the implementation of Vision 2050, the construction taking place from Nyaua through Tabora and Isaka to Mwanza provides a physical picture of that ambition.

What begins with excavation, scarification, compaction and testing of a roadbed is ultimately intended to create a modern transport corridor capable of moving people and goods, supporting businesses, creating employment and strengthening Tanzania’s position in regional trade and logistics.

The railway, therefore, is not only about laying tracks. It is about laying part of the physical foundation for the economy Tanzania wants to build by 2050.

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