Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan has directed officials at the Ministry of Energy to fast-track the development of the country’s Uranium projects to ensure the country also generates nuclear energy in the future.

“Oftentimes, when we talk about renewable energy, we focus on solar, wind, and other things. But within our country, God has blessed us with uranium. For a very long time, we have been made to believe that generating electricity from uranium is dangerous, yet developed countries are using it, and it is a major source of electricity,” President Samia said to officials at swearing session of president appointee today, May 24, 2025, at the State House in Dar es Salaam.

“We have the raw material right here, and they tell us it’s dangerous, so they can come and take it, go back to their home countries, and generate electricity for themselves. Now, together with the Ministry, it is important to oversee our uranium project in Tunduru so that the investors can start working and we can benefit from that resource,” she emphasized.

One of the major uranium development projects is the Mkuju River Project, located in Southern Tanzania in the Namtumbo District of the Ruvuma Region. The project is operated by Mantra Tanzania Limited, a subsidiary of Uranium One Group and its parent shareholder, the State Atomic Energy Corporation of Russia (ROSATOM).  The company had reported in 2023 that it was finalizing the construction of a uranium processing plant.

“It is estimated that there are about 58,500 tonnes of uranium there. I believe once they start mining and continue exploring in that area, they might find even more,” President Samia said.

 “Let this project proceed and begin. If they are using nuclear power, we can use it too, and have enough electricity for ourselves, and even sell to neighboring countries, like we’re planning to sell to Zambia. But we are also buying from Ethiopia—if we are self-sufficient, we won’t need to buy.”