SIDO industries create over 67,000 jobs in three years

KAHAMA: INDUSTRIES established through the Small Industries Development Organisation (SIDO) have created 67,777 jobs between July 2023 and July 2026, highlighting the contribution of small-scale industries to employment creation and nation’s economic growth.

Industry and Trade Minister, Ms Judith Kapinga, announced the figures yesterday when launching the fifth national SIDO Exhibition 2026 in Kahama Municipality, Shinyanga Region.

“SIDO had facilitated the establishment of 1,760 industries between July 2023 and July 2026, strengthening production capacity and creating employment opportunities for Tanzanians,” she said.

Ms Kapinga urged citizens to support locally manufactured products, saying buying goods made by domestic entrepreneurs would stimulate economic growth and strengthen the country’s industrial base.

“The government is committed to creating a favourable business environment, but access to affordable capital and machinery remained crucial to helping entrepreneurs expand their operations,” she said.

The minister said 14.5bn/- had been provided to support entrepreneurs, with women accounting for 52 per cent of the beneficiaries.

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She called on financial institutions to continue supporting small businesses and ease collateral requirements to enable more entrepreneurs to access loans.

Ms Kapinga also urged SIDO to strengthen its competitiveness and help local businesses access both domestic and international markets.

“The government wants to see locally available resources, particularly forest and livestock products, processed to add value rather than being sold in their raw form,” Ms Kapinga said.

Acting SIDO Director General, Mr Abdallah Kitala, said the exhibition offered entrepreneurs an opportunity to learn new business skills, showcase their products and attract new customers.

He said cooperation between entrepreneurs and the government was helping improve the value of locally manufactured goods.

Ushetu MP Emmanuel Cherehani, representing the chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Industries, Trade, Agriculture and Livestock, Deo Manyika, urged Tanzanians to appreciate and support locally made products.

He said small-scale industries played an important role in creating employment, particularly for young people, and called for greater recognition of their contribution to national development.

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