By Alfred Zacharia The Road Fund Board has emerged as a crucial driver in Tanzania’s push to maintain and improve its road infrastructure.
In the 2024/25 financial year, the Board planned to collect a total of TZS 856.8 billion to finance road maintenance across national, regional, and district roads.
By April 2025, it had collected TZS 819.7 billion—equivalent to 95 percent of the target. This impressive performance signals not only effective financial planning but also a high level of revenue collection efficiency.
Minister for Works, Mr. Abdallah Ulega, acknowledged the Board’s performance when tabling the 2025/26 national budget in Parliament.
“This achievement shows our serious commitment to maintaining road infrastructure that supports economic growth,” he said, noting the importance of ensuring roads remain passable year-round and play a role in national productivity.
In 2024/25, the funds were allocated to various institutions responsible for road maintenance.
The Board also ensured strict monitoring and quality control. Between July 2024 and April 2025, a total of 786 road maintenance projects were inspected.
These inspections were conducted by both internal and external experts, and audit reports confirmed that the funds had been used in line with the approved plans.
Furthermore, road condition surveys were carried out to provide an accurate picture of infrastructure status and inform future maintenance strategies.
Despite these achievements, challenges persist.
The demand for road maintenance continues to outstrip the available funding, especially as more roads are built and others age.
To meet this rising demand, the Road Fund Board is exploring new ways of mobilizing resources. This includes enhancing revenue collection through fuel levies and exploring the use of infrastructure bonds to finance critical road projects.
For the 2025/26 financial year, the total allocation to the Ministry of Works is set at TZS 688.8 billion.
Of this, TANROADS will receive TZS 608.5 billion, while TZS 67.6 billion will be allocated directly to the Ministry to cover road rehabilitation, feasibility studies, project supervision, road safety, ferry maintenance, and staff capacity-building.
Minister Ulega emphasized the importance of innovation in financing road maintenance.
“We must innovate and adapt our funding mechanisms if we are to match the pace of development and traffic load,” he said, highlighting the government's vision to keep roads reliable, safe, and accessible to all.
Looking ahead, the Road Fund Board is expected to continue playing a central role in managing resources and ensuring transparency in the implementation of maintenance works. As the country focuses on improving its transport infrastructure, the efficiency of the Board will be vital in supporting trade, tourism, and overall national development.
“Our roads are not just pathways; they are arteries of national development. We must keep them strong and reliable,” Mr. Ulega said.