Tanzania: Efforts Intensifies to Accelerate SGR's Lot III Works

What the report says

Tanzania’s government is preparing a high-level meeting to address delays on Standard Gauge Railway Lot Three, according to Daily News via AllAfrica. The planned session is expected to involve Prime Minister Dr Mwigulu Nchemba, the finance and transport ministers, and contractors working on the project. The aim is to review progress, identify bottlenecks and keep the work on track toward a revised completion target of 2028.

Finance Minister Ambassador Khamis Mussa Omar said during an inspection at Tura in Tabora Region that visible progress was being made, even as implementation problems continue. He said the government wants closer oversight of the project and will use the meeting to work through the obstacles affecting construction. Transport Minister Prof Makame Mbarawa also said the main contractor for the Lot 3 and 4 section has received advance payment, but has faced challenges that required government intervention.

The report said officials have advised the contractor to subcontract some work to strengthen delivery, and five companies are now involved in the section. The government also wants a mechanism to make sure payments passed to the main contractor reach subcontractors. Lot Three covers the 294-kilometre section from Makutupora in Singida Region to Tabora, part of the wider central corridor linking Dar es Salaam to Mwanza. The update matters because SGR is one of Tanzania’s major transport infrastructure projects and delays can affect regional connectivity and project costs.