East Africa: Tanzania Sees Massive Drop in Poverty Level As Population Hits 70m

What the report says

Tanzania’s government says poverty has fallen sharply over the long term, according to figures cited by its spokesperson and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Culture, Arts and Sports, Gerson Msigwa, in Dodoma. The update was reported by Daily News and distributed by AllAfrica on 25 October 2026.

Msigwa said the country’s basic-needs poverty rate declined from 38.6% in 1991/92 to 25.1% in 2024, while food poverty fell from 22% to 8.3%. He presented the numbers as evidence of progress since independence, alongside broader changes in the country’s size and public-sector capacity.

The report says Tanzania’s population has grown from 12.3 million in 1967 to more than 70 million in 2026, increasing pressure on services such as healthcare, water, transport and communications. It also says the number of public servants has risen substantially over time. The government says more than 4,500 services are now available online, part of a push to reduce bureaucracy and improve access.

Msigwa also said economic growth has risen, and that development projects will continue in phases as resources allow. He urged the public to reject claims that projects were not being implemented, saying some are completed, some are near completion and others are still under construction.