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Insights Centre
Country profile · compared with SADC

Tanzania

SADCEACCurrency TZS

Tanzania is home to 70.5m people (2025) and has an economy of $90.1bn (2025), the 4th largest in SADC. Output per person of $1,319 is below the regional median of $2,539. The economy grew 5.9% in 2025, and the IMF expects 6.0% in 2026. Inflation was 3.3% in 2025, close to the regional median of 3.6%. 52.4% of people have electricity (2024).

Where Tanzania stands out

  • Gross capital formationShows how much the economy is building for the future.Highest of 16 in SADC. Select for the data card.
    Highest of 16 in SADC
  • UnemploymentHigh unemployment means available labour but also weak demand and social pressure.Lowest of 15 in SADC. Select for the data card.
    Lowest of 15 in SADC
  • PopulationThe size of the potential customer base and labour pool.2nd highest of 16 in SADC. Select for the data card.
    2nd highest of 16 in SADC

What to watch

  • Trade opennessMore open economies tend to have deeper supply chains and fewer barriers for foreign firms.2nd lowest of 16 in SADC. Select for the data card.
    2nd lowest of 16 in SADC
  • People without electricityThe size of the unserved market for off-grid solar, mini-grids and grid extension, and a direct measure of development impact.2nd highest of 16 in SADC. Select for the data card.
    2nd highest of 16 in SADC
  • Doctors per 1,000 peopleThe scarcest input in healthcare.2nd lowest of 16 in SADC. Select for the data card.
    2nd lowest of 16 in SADC

Tanzania scores best on unmet demand and weakest on infrastructure

Scores from 0 to 100 by rank within SADC, against the SADC median. 100 means best in the region on that pillar.

TanzaniaSADC median
Market sizeGrowthStabilityInfrastructureDigital,financeGovernanceUnmetdemand71855636585291
Source: Investor Lens method·dotzedw Insights Centre

The IMF expects Tanzania to grow 6.0% in 2026

Real GDP growth, per cent a year. Open bars are IMF forecasts.

ActualIMF forecast
0.0%1.0%2.0%3.0%4.0%5.0%6.0%5.9%20256.0%20265.9%20276.0%2028

Ten years of history are free with a Reader account.

Source: IMF·dotzedw Insights Centre

Farming employs 65% of workers but produces 23% of output

Share of jobs in each broad sector against its share of GDP, latest year. A sector with far more jobs than output has low productivity and room to grow.

Share of jobsShare of GDP
0%20%40%60%80%Agriculture65%23%42 pts apartIndustry8%30%22 pts apartServices27%29%1 pts apart
Source: World Bank, ILO·dotzedw Insights Centre

Key figures

The bar under each figure places it among the 16 countries of SADC, lowest on the left. Hover for context; select for the data card.

Tanzania on the map

Its 30 regions and 170 districts, shaded by population, power, water, transport and more; circles sized by value; or power lines, roads and masts on a street map.

Open the full map
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How Tanzania generates electricity

Share of electricity generation by source, latest year.

CoalGasOilWindNuclearBioenergy and otherHydroSolar

No electricity data for Tanzania.

The history of the power mix is part of the Individual plan

US$19 a month or US$190 a year. Subscribe on dotzedw.com and you come straight back to this page with Individual access. Already a member? Sign in with your dotzedw.com account.

Source: Ember, Energy Institute· Get the data (Professional)·dotzedw Insights Centre

Politics, parliament and elections

Compare all countries

The President is directly elected and is head of state and government; Zanzibar elects its own President and House of Representatives. CCM and its predecessor TANU have governed since independence in 1961. Samia Suluhu Hassan, who succeeded John Magufuli on his death in 2021, was declared winner of the October 2025 election with 97.66% after the main opposition party Chadema was barred and its leader jailed; the post-election protests left many dead.

Now: Chadema was disqualified from the 2025 election after refusing to sign the electoral code of conduct, and its leader Tundu Lissu has been on trial for treason since April 2025. SADC, AU and EU observers said the 2025 vote fell short of democratic standards; a nationwide internet shutdown followed polling day.
President
Samia Suluhu Hassan (CCM), since 19 Mar 2021
How the executive is chosen
Directly elected in a single round; the candidate with most votes wins
Term and limits
Five years; a president may be elected at most twice
Governing
CCM
In power since
CCM, 1961 (65 years)
TANU governed from independence in 1961 and merged with Zanzibar's Afro-Shirazi Party to form CCM in 1977. Multiparty elections began in 1995.
Next national election
October 2030 (general)

CCM holds 399 of 403 seats, a two-thirds majority

National Assembly (Bunge), seats as of November 2025. Mixed; 5-year term

403seatsMajority 202 · Two thirds 269 (dashed lines)
  • CCM383
  • EXO16
  • ACT-Wazalendo2
  • CHAUMMA2
How seats are filled
272 members are elected in single-member constituencies by first past the post. 115 special seats for women allocated to parties in proportion to their constituency votes, five members elected by the Zanzibar House of Representatives, up to ten appointed by the President, and the Attorney General.
Powers
Passes laws and the budget; the President can dissolve it and appoints the cabinet from its members.
Special majority
Two thirds of members are needed to amend the Constitution (also two thirds of the Zanzibar members on Union matters). The governing side has it.
Elections
Last 29 Oct 2025; next October 2030
Source: 2025 Tanzanian general election (Wikipedia)·dotzedw Insights Centre

What the record shows

  • CCM has governed for 65 years, since 1961, without losing a national election.
  • CCM's share of the parliamentary vote has risen from 60.2% in 2010 to 75.7% in 2020.
  • The last presidential election, in 2025, was a landslide: the winner took 97.7%, 97 points ahead of the runner-up.
  • The governing side holds 399 of 403 seats in the National Assembly (Bunge), enough on its own to amend the Constitution (two thirds or more).
  • Turnout was 87% in 2025, up from 77% in 1995.
  • V-Dem's clean elections score is 36 out of 100, down from 48 in 2015.

The largest party won 76% of the parliamentary vote in 2020, against 100% in 1990

Every lower-house election since 1990: the largest party's share of the vote and of the seats, and turnout of registered voters. Open circles mark a change of government.

Largest party: votesLargest party: seatsTurnout
0%20%40%60%80%100%19901995200020052010201520202025HalfTwo thirds99.0%Largest party: seats75.7%Largest party: votes67.3%Turnout
Source: Official results, V-Dem·dotzedw Insights Centre

The winner's lead over the runner-up was 97 points in 2025

First-round share of the valid vote for the winner and the runner-up in each presidential election since 1990.

WinnerRunner-up
0%20%40%60%80%100%19901995200020052010201520202025Half97.7%Winner0.7%Runner-up
Source: Official results, V-Dem·dotzedw Insights Centre

Every national election

DateElectionResultTurnoutNotes
29 Oct 2025National AssemblyCCM 383 seats; ACT-Wazalendo 2 seatsn/aDisputedBoycott
29 Oct 2025PresidentialPresidential, 2025Samia Suluhu Hassan (CCM)97.7%Mwalim Salum Juma (CHAUMMA)0.7%OTH1.7%Samia Suluhu Hassan (CCM) 97.7%; Mwalim Salum Juma (CHAUMMA) 0.7%86.8%DisputedBoycott
28 Oct 2020National AssemblyNational Assembly, 2020CCM75.7%, 350 seatsChadema17.5%, 20 seatsACT-Wazalendo3.2%, 5 seatsCCM 75.7%, 350 seats; Chadema 17.5%, 20 seatsn/aDisputed
28 Oct 2020PresidentialPresidential, 2020John Magufuli (CCM)84.4%Tundu Lissu (Chadema)13.0%OTH2.6%John Magufuli (CCM) 84.4%; Tundu Lissu (Chadema) 13.0%50.7%Disputed
25 Oct 2015ParliamentParliament, 2015CCM55.0%, 253 seatsChadema31.8%, 70 seatsCUF8.6%, 42 seatsCCM 55.0%, 253 seats; Chadema 31.8%, 70 seats67.3% V-Dem
2015PresidentialPresidential, 2015John Pombe Joseph Magufuli58.5%Runner-up40.0%John Pombe Joseph Magufuli 58.5%; Runner-up 40.0%67.3% V-Dem

Checked 30 Sept 2026. Not yet recorded: Party vote totals for the 2025 parliamentary ballot are not recorded.

Election calendar

All elections

Hover a vote for its result and what it means.

  • 2030
    General election
    Tanzania: General electionNo analysis written for this vote yet.Sources: Wikipedia
    Expected
  • 29 Oct 2025
    General electionWon by Samia Suluhu Hassan
    Tanzania: General electionResult: Samia Suluhu Hassan (CCM) declared winner with 97.66%. The main opposition party, Chadema, was barred and its leader jailed.Policy continuity, but deadly protests, internet restrictions and a disputed result raise reputational and operational risk for investors. Watch donor relations and any sanctions talk.Sources: Al Jazeera, CNN
    Held

Deals and projects

Every deal in Tanzania

Individual Every deal record with its parties, value, stage and sources.

dotzedw analysis on Tanzania

All analysis

Sources and method