DAR ES SALAAM, June 19 -- FOR decades, Tanzania has been known as one of Africas top mineral-rich countries. Its exports and government revenues have benefited greatly from resources like gold, diamonds, tanzanite, graphite, nickel, rare earth elements, coal and iron ore.

Despite this, a key question remains: why does Tanzania keep exporting raw minerals while other nations gain more value by processing, refining and manufacturing these resources?

Ambassador Khamis Mussa Omars FY 2026/27 National Budget offers one of the clearest insights answer. This budget, critically examined, indicates a strategic move by the government away from a mining economy centred on extraction towards one focused on beneficiation, processing and industrial v...