Starting a Business in Tanzania

By the World Bank’s estimate, Tanzania is the 162nd best country when it comes to starting a business. When Hillary and I fully committed to starting a business in February of this year, we expected to complete our paperwork and immigration documents within three months. Now in December, with a fully registered business and our immigration in progress, we are happy to report that the World Bank’s findings were correct.

On the train ride from Mbeya to Dar es Salaam, I said to Hillary, “This is so easy, I can’t believe no one else is doing it!” Our tour of interviews and networking had confirmed our hypothesis and we knew that a business selling sunflower seeds to smallholder farmers had immense potential. Since then, we have sat through government-approved presentations, filed forms at eight different government departments, sought the assistance of one very competent accountant and more than one lawyer, and waited around for bureaucratic approvals.

But at long last, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. One can, in fact, register a business and immigrate to Tanzania despite its World Bank ranking. The best part is, if you seek to follow, that the rules have likely already been rewritten.

https://subnational.doingbusiness.org/content/dam/doingBusiness/country/t/tanzania/TZA.pdf

-Gordon Day