Economic and Social Research Foundation (ESRF) - Tanzania

Are you ready to be part of ? 📌

The Tanzania Investment Summit 2026 is a platform designed to support direct engagement, unlock co-financing opportunities, and accelerate capital deployment into bankable projects across Tanzania.🇹🇿

Register Now: https://tigf.or.tz/

Happy Labour Day!

This Labour Day, we’re expanding the conversation on what counts as work.

From childcare and household responsibilities to collecting water and caring for family members. Unpaid care work sustains our communities and economy, but still remains invisible.

Through the Equal Time, Equal Power policy brief, ESRF highlights the need to recognise, reduce and redistribute unpaid care work.

We’ve also shared a special Labour Day blog on why this is not just a social issue, but a critical economic one for Tanzania.

🔗 Visit our website for more via the link in our bio

📢 EXCITING UPDATE: The Tanzania Investment Summit is now bigger, bolder and more connected!

As part of efforts to create a more connected national platform that brings together investment opportunities from both Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar, the Summit will now take place on:

🗓 01–02 June 2026
📍 Gran Meliá, Arusha

In partnership with the Tanzania Investment and Special Economic Zones Authority (TISEZA) and the Zanzibar Investment Promotion Authority (ZIPA), the Summit will convene investors, policymakers, and partners to explore opportunities across key sectors, including tourism infrastructure, transport, renewable energy, water, and agro-processing.

Offering investors access to complementary opportunities across Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar.

For more information, visit: https://tigf.or.tz

ESRF is proud to share that over the weekend, our Executive Director, Prof. FortunataS. Makene, served as Guest of Honour at the (WIMA) Awards, a platform recognising women leading and shaping impact across sectors in Africa.

In her remarks, she called for intentional action to advance women’s leadership through mentorship, inclusive leadership pathways, investment in women’s ideas and more inclusive decision-making spaces.

Her participation reflects ESRF’s growing role in shaping evidence-based dialogue on gender, leadership and inclusive development. As Tanzania looks ahead, strengthening women’s leadership remains key to building inclusive and resilient systems.

United in purpose, stronger together. Happy Union Day, Tanzania 🇹🇿

Early childhood development is the foundation of a stronger and more resilient future 👶🏽

Today, Generation Equality Forum - National Advisory Committee (GEF-NAC), supported by ESRF, concluded a validation workshop for a high-level advisory note on Early Childhood Development (ECD) services in Tanzania 🇹🇿

The session brought together stakeholders from Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar to ensure the advisory note reflects national realities, strengthens recommendations and captures diverse perspectives.

The workshop was officially opened by Hon. Angellah Kairuki, Minister of Communication and Information Technology and the Chair of GEF-NAC, while Prof. Makene (Executive Director - ESRF) highlighted the importance of a child’s first 1,000 days, reminding us that ECD goes beyond children to families, communities and the wider care economy.

💡 Key Takeaways:
* Innovative and sustainable financing mechanisms needed
* Strengthening of inclusive approaches, including disability inclusion, rural–urban equity and male engagement
* Enhance multisectoral coordination and collaboration
* Apply a gender lens, particularly in advancing women’s economic empowerment

Earlier today (23rd April 2026), ESRF hosted 26 students from the Eastern Africa Statistical Training Centre (EASTC) for an academic tour on agricultural statistics and economics, aimed at bridging theory and practice. The session provided students with practical insights into data collection, management and analysis, while also offering an opportunity to engage with ESRF researchers on career pathways and the tools used in policy research.

During her welcoming remarks, Professor Makene, Executive Director emphasised that while technical expertise is critical, long-term success is grounded in core values:
✨ Integrity
✨ Respect
✨ Communication

She further encouraged the soon-to-be graduates to be intentional in their early careers, noting that the first three years after university are critical for deepening expertise, learning new research skills and continuously adding value in their respective fields.

ESRF remains committed to strengthening the link between research, policy and practice, ensuring that young professionals are equipped not only with knowledge, but with the ability to generate and apply evidence for impact.

Earlier this week, we had the pleasure of hosting a courtesy visit from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), with Professor Makene (Executive Director), Madam Vivian (Head of Strategic Research and Publications) and Mr. Sango (Head of Governance and Capacity Development) leading the engagement.

The visit also marked a leadership transition, as outgoing Chief Representative Ara Hitoshi introduced his successor, Kuge Katsuya.

Discussions highlighted ESRF’s previous and ongoing work, as well as the importance of aligning priorities with the Tanzania Development Vision 2050.

We look forward to strengthening collaboration for sustainable development in Tanzania. 🇹🇿🤝🇯🇵

The countdown is on 🇹🇿

Tanzania Investment Summit 2026 is officially here 📌

Under the theme “Unlocking Bankable Opportunities for Inclusive Growth,” the Summit will bring together project owners, investors, financiers, development finance institutions, and strategic partners for direct engagement around investment-ready opportunities in Tanzania. 🌍

It is a high-impact deal-making platform designed to connect bankable projects with capital, align the right partners, and drive real transactions.

📍 Gran Melia Hotel, Arusha
📅 3rd–5th June 2026

Save the date, register now, and visit tigf.or.tz for more information.

A legacy built on courage, unity and purpose.

Today we honor Abeid Amani Karume and the path he paved for generations. 🇹🇿