• Rail

Tanzania Breaks Ground on US\$2.74 Billion Tabora–Kigoma Railway Linking Great Lakes Trade Corridor Tanzania Breaks Ground on US\$2.74 Billion Tabora–Kigoma Railway Linking Great Lakes Trade Corridor

Tanzania has taken a bold new stride in its ambition to become East and Central Africa's leading transport and trade powerhouse. On 20 July 2026, President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan laid the foundation stone for the construction of the Tabora–Kigoma section of the country's Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), a landmark project that promises to reshape connectivity across the Great Lakes region. For sub-Saharan Africa's travel and tourism industry, this development carries far-reaching implications, opening fresh horizons for cross-border movement, business travel, freight logistics and tourism circuits linking Tanzania with its neighbours.

Stretching across an impressive 506 kilometres, the Tabora–Kigoma line is valued at approximately US\$2.74 billion, or roughly TSh7.4 trillion in local currency. Once operational, it will connect the Kigoma Region on the shores of Lake Tanganyika with the bustling Port of Dar es Salaam on Tanzania's Indian Ocean coast. This will effectively knit together the country's rail network, seaport and inland water transport systems into one seamless corridor, drastically reducing transport costs, improving freight reliability and supporting trade both within Tanzania and across its borders.

Speaking at the foundation-stone ceremony in Kigoma, President Samia emphasised that her government is committed to building an integrated national transport system that links railways, ports, roads and airports. Her vision is to lower transport costs, boost trade competitiveness and unlock entirely new markets for Tanzanian businesses. In her words, "Kigoma will no longer be the end of the railway. It will become the starting point for new trade and investment opportunities." This bold statement signals a decisive move away from Kigoma's historical isolation and repositions the town as a strategic gateway to central Africa.

For travel professionals across the continent, the ripple effects are considerable. The new railway is expected to strengthen Kigoma's role as a regional transport hub serving Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Zambia, giving rise to fresh cross-border tourism circuits, business travel flows and MICE opportunities. Kigoma is already renowned as the launch point for boat trips to legendary destinations such as Gombe Stream National Park, home to Jane Goodall's famed chimpanzee research, and Mahale Mountains National Park. Faster, more affordable and reliable rail access is expected to open these bucket-list experiences to a broader range of travellers, including growing numbers of African domestic tourists.

The project also promises significant economic dividends beyond transport. Agriculture, fishing, warehousing, hospitality, logistics and construction sectors are all expected to benefit from the corridor, generating employment opportunities and supporting entrepreneurship in the Kigoma Region. Farmers and fishers stand to gain from reduced transport times and lower costs for inputs and produce, while hotels, guesthouses and service providers should benefit from a marked increase in visitor flows.

The rail development is being complemented by parallel investment in marine transport on Lake Tanganyika. Alongside the foundation-stone ceremony, four new cargo vessels were launched on the lake, forming part of a broader Government strategy to expand marine services in partnership with the private sector. Minister of Transport Prof. Makame Mbarawa confirmed that the country plans to have a total of 14 new vessels in operation by 2028, expanding freight capacity and attracting further investment into the Great Lakes region. President Samia also directed the Ministry of Transport to work with private-sector partners to establish a modern ship maintenance workshop in Kigoma.

Qiu Guozhu, Vice-President of Zhiji Mining Group, which built the four vessels, confirmed that the company will continue investing in improvements to the Port of Kigoma and its supporting infrastructure to enhance regional trade efficiency. Meanwhile, engineering works on the SGR itself are being executed by a joint venture involving the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) and the China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC), employing a rapid design-and-build model to accelerate delivery.

The Tabora–Kigoma line represents the final western extension of Tanzania's Central Corridor SGR network, which runs from Dar es Salaam through Morogoro, Dodoma and Tabora, with additional branches under development. Once complete, Tanzania's total SGR footprint will reach around 2,809 kilometres, significantly enhancing both domestic and regional connectivity while supporting deeper economic integration across East Africa.

For African travel professionals, the Tabora–Kigoma project is more than a transport milestone. It is a powerful reminder that infrastructure investment is fundamentally reshaping how the continent travels, trades and connects, and those who position their businesses to ride this wave stand to benefit enormously in the years ahead.