Feature: Foreign Investors Face Ban as Tanzania Redefines Business Landscape.

30 July 2025

In a bold move reshaping East Africa’s economic dynamics, the Tanzanian government has issued a sweeping ban preventing non-citizens from engaging in 15 specific business activities, ranging from retail trade to mobile money services, as part of a broader strategy to strengthen local ownership and economic participation. Officials termed it a “patriotic reset” for local businesses. This ban, aimed at shielding local enterprises from foreign competition, is already sparking significant backlash from Kenyan lawmakers and East African business leaders.