In 2000, Tanzania launched the Tanzania Vision 2025 which aimed to propel Tanzania into middle-income country status through infrastructure development, technological advancement and other development tools. Vision 2025 is expected to run until June 2026.
Although Vision 2025 recognises the importance of infrastructure for a strong and competitive economy, it does not provide any further detail on the targets by which infrastructure development may be measured.
In 2010, the Tanzanian government developed a Long Term Perspective Plan (LTPP) 2011-2026 for the achievement of Vision 2025. The performance of this long-term plan is reviewed below:
- Transportation
Objective: To link production and marketing centres within Tanzania and make the country a regional trade and transport hub.For road transportation, the LTPP aims to extend the road network to rural areas so as to ease the flow of goods and services to and from the rural areas. The LTPP also aims to improve other modes of transportation so as to reduce overreliance on road transportation which accounted for 90% of passenger traffic and 75% of freight traffic as of 2011.
Outcome: Between 2014 and 2025, Tanzania increased from 24.6% to 72.8% on the Rural Access Index (World Bank, UN Sustainable Development Report). The Rural Access Index measures the proportion of the rural population that lives within 2 km of a road that is motorable throughout the year.
Also, between 2014 and 2019, the cargo handled by the Dar es Salaam port increased by an average of over 26,000 metric tonnes per annum while passenger traffic through Tanzania’s airports increased by over 50,000 between 2016 and 2018 (2021-2026 FYDP).
Notable Mention: The Standard Gauge Railway in Tanzania is a 2,000km rail line which is intended to link domestic ports of Dar es Salaam and Mwanza and to connect Tanzania to neighbouring countries such as Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Construction began in 2017 and 2 phases of the 6-phase project were completed in 2024 (TanzaniaInvest).
- Energy
Objective: To ensure adequate power supply on a sustainable basis.
Outcome: The total installed capacity of electricity in Tanzania increased from 1,586 MW in 2015 to 2,004 MW by 2022 (Africa Energy Portal). Also, the percentage of the Tanzanian population with access to electricity increased from about 14% in 2010 to over 45% in 2022 (UN Sustainable Development Report).
Notable Mention: By 2024, the Julius Nyerere hydroelectric power project had successfully added 1,000 MW to the national grid (Daily News). In April 2025, Tanzania commissioned the fully completed project, which is expected to add 2,115 MW to the national grid (2021-2026 FYDP).
- ICT
Objective: To provide a national framework for the enablement of ICT and transform Tanzania into a knowledge-based society.
Outcome: Between 2010 and 2015, the population of Tanzania using the internet increased from 2.9% to over 29% (UN Sustainable Development Report). Also, by 2024, 88% of the population had access to at least a 4G mobile network (International Telecommunication Union).
Notable Mention: The National ICT Broadband Backbone (NICTBB) is a national fibre optic cable network which is intended to expand high-speed internet access across Tanzania. Construction of this network was launched in 2010 and was intended to connect 139 districts. As of May 2025, the network had achieved a 78% coverage, connecting 109 out of the planned 139 districts (The Citizen).
- Water
Objective: To develop Tanzania’s water sector for domestic and industrial use.
Outcome: By 2022, 61% of Tanzania’s population had access to at least basic drinking water services (The World Bank). Also, only 31% of the population had access to at least basic sanitation services by 2022 (The World Bank). Although these are low performances, they actually reflect improvements from the 45% and 20% access to drinking water and sanitation in 2011. (The World Bank)
Notable Mention: The Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Programme (RWSSP) has been instrumental in improving access to water and sanitation in rural areas. Between 2015 and 2020, investments in the RWSSP led to a total of 1,423 water supply projects which benefitted up to 70% of the rural population in Tanzania (2021-2026 FYDP).