Dar es Salaam is set to become an Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) hub for the East and Central Africa region, with Despec
Tanzania alone promising to create some 500 jobs and boosting the
country’s annual exports by 100 million US dollars (about 180bn/-).
Despec Tanzania will be one of the tenants at the ICT infrastructure
that Lena Holdings and Investments Tanzania Limited envisages developing
under a contract signed between Lena Holdings and the Export Processing
Zones Authority (EPZA).
“We had to make choices between Dar es Salaam and Mombasa but we
favoured Dar which we consider as the best suited place to invest
because of the political stability and easy of transport,” Despec
International Chairman and CEO Riyaz Jamal said in Dar es Salaam over
the weekend.
He said his firm already operates sales offices in Dar es Salaam,
Nairobi and Kampala but the plan is now to base its operations in Dar es
Salaam with call centre, technical and distribution office targeting
export markets in 11 countries.
Legal Adviser with Lena Holdings Saleem Sheikh said the developer plans
to invest 10 million US dollars (about 18bn/-) to develop the ICT centre
covering 23,000 square metres at the Benjamin William Mkapa Special
Economic Zones at Ubungo external.
EPZA Director General Adelhelm Meru described the envisaged investment
as a big boost to the country’s exports and job creation, “These are the
kind of investments that we need to fight poverty through increased
exports and job creation…EPZA is determined to double efforts in looking
for investors.”
Dr Meru said that with the well developed infrastructure, many ICT companies will come to invest in the country, providing Tanzanians with jobs and boosting the country’s exports, “We are looking forward for thousands of jobs for Tanzanians…Despic alone will employ 500 people and there could be even 20 more investors.”
