Arusha. Tanzania awarded 181,057 public procurement contracts worth Sh14.5 trillion through its National e-Procurement System of Tanzania (NeST) by June 30, 2026, underscoring the growing adoption of the electronic platform in public procurement and supply management.
The figures were announced by the minister for Finance Amb Khamis Mussa Omar in a speech delivered on his behalf by Arusha Regional Administrative Secretary Dr Toba Nguvila during the Tenth Public Procurement Conference 2026 held at the Arusha International Conference Centre (AICC).
Dr Nguvila said the increased use of the electronic procurement system had strengthened transparency, competitiveness, accountability and value for money in the management of public funds.
He said that by the end of the 2025/26 financial year, a total of 181,057 tender awards valued at Sh14.5 trillion had been processed through NeST, reflecting the government’s continued commitment to digitising public procurement.
“By June 30, 2026, a total of 45,270 suppliers had been approved and registered on the NeST platform, with 95 per cent of them being local suppliers,” he said.
According to Dr Nguvila, the achievement demonstrates that NeST has become a key tool in strengthening oversight of public procurement and supply activities while promoting transparency, fair competition and prudent use of public resources.
He added that the system had also earned international recognition after being selected among the world’s top 20 government systems at the World Summit on the Information Society Awards, highlighting Tanzania’s progress in digital transformation and sustainable public procurement.
Dr Nguvila said the development of the NeST platform had now been completed, with all major public procurement processes conducted electronically.
These include supplier registration, tender preparation, contract management and payment processing.
He stressed that all public institutions are legally required to conduct procurement through the NeST platform, warning that any institution undertaking procurement outside the system would be in breach of the Public Procurement Act.
“The government will continue enforcing the use of NeST to ensure that all public institutions comply with the law and established procurement procedures,” he said.
The minister also commended the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) for overseeing implementation of the Public Procurement Act and expanding the use of the electronic procurement system.
He urged the authority to continue improving the platform and integrate it with other government systems to enhance efficiency, facilitate information sharing and strengthen oversight of public expenditure.
Dr Nguvila said the government views public procurement as an important economic policy instrument capable of supporting domestic industries, increasing the participation of local suppliers, creating jobs and contributing to national economic growth while advancing the objectives of Tanzania’s Development Vision 2050.
Speaking at the conference, PPRA Director General Dennis Simba called on all public institutions to fully comply with the Public Procurement Act, warning that organisations failing to meet the legal requirements would be publicly identified in line with directives issued by President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
Mr Simba also thanked stakeholders who participated in the conference and encouraged them to use the forum to strengthen their technical knowledge and improve the implementation of public procurement across the country.
