Arusha – Work has commenced on a new national training centre for gemstone value addition in Arusha, a landmark project aimed at shifting the country’s focus from exporting raw minerals to processing them locally.
The Sh33 billion development is a direct implementation of President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s directive to strengthen the mineral value chain, a press release by the Ministry of Minerals stated Sunday.
During an inspection of the construction site at the Tanzania Gemological Centre (TGC) on December 12, 2025, the Minister for Minerals, Anthony Mavunde, stressed the project’s importance to the nation’s economy.
He instructed the contractor to accelerate the building process by increasing manpower and introducing extended work shifts to ensure timely completion.
“The Sixth Phase Government under President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan is deliberately investing along the entire gemstone value chain, in line with the 2009 Mineral Policy, so that cutting, polishing and grading increasingly take place in Tanzania,” Mavunde stated.
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He highlighted that the initiative is a direct fulfilment of the President’s call for greater local expertise and value addition within the mining sector.
The project involves the construction of two eight-storey twin blocks. Once complete, the centre is expected to significantly increase the number of students who can be trained in gemology, creating a larger pool of local specialists in gemstone cutting, polishing, and grading. This is anticipated to create new jobs for young people and traders in the industry.
According to the Ministry of Minerals, by processing gemstones within the country, the centre will help retain more of the value from the mineral sector locally, thereby boosting national revenue and reducing the volume of unprocessed stones being exported.
The Director of the Tanzania Gemological Centre, Ally Maganga, explained that the expanded facilities will allow many more young Tanzanians to acquire practical skills, enhancing their competitiveness in both regional and international markets.
Local officials have welcomed the investment, with Arusha District Commissioner Joseph Mkude pledging to closely monitor the construction to ensure it meets government standards.
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He noted that the centre represents one of the largest public investments in the region’s mining industry and will solidify Arusha’s status as a hub for gemstone trade and training.
The government views the project as a cornerstone of its broader agenda to transform the mining sector into a driver of industrial growth, skills development, and job creation, ensuring that the nation’s natural wealth contributes more significantly to long-term national development.
