Company registration, and the 2022 investment law
Company registration on mainland Tanzania is handled by BRELA (the Business Registration and
Licensing Agency) through its Online Registration System (ORS), used for both local and foreign company
registration and post-incorporation filings. Foreign investment is separately governed by the Tanzania
Investment Centre (TIC) under the Tanzania Investment Act, 2022, which replaced the prior investment
law. Under the 2022 Act, TIC sets a minimum capital threshold of USD 500,000 for foreign investors. This
platform found a genuine discrepancy on the threshold for Tanzanian-owned businesses: one secondary
legal-commentary source citing the 2022 Act directly states USD 50,000, while a TIC FAQ page cited
elsewhere states USD 300,000 -- this platform flags this discrepancy explicitly rather than asserting a
single settled figure, and recommends confirming the current threshold directly with TIC before relying
on it.
What changed under the 2022 Act
The Tanzania Investment Act, 2022 made several changes relevant to foreign investors: it removed a
prior automatic quota of 5 expatriate positions per registered project (expatriate staffing now requires
separate immigration coordination), added investor access to arbitration for disputes with TIC or the
government, introduced defined 5-year incentive periods, and increased penalties for unauthorized
disclosure of investor information. TIC registration itself requires a registered company with
memorandum and articles of association, a certificate of incorporation, proof of land or lease in the
company's name, proof of available capital, a business plan or feasibility study, a board resolution,
and a registration fee of roughly USD 1,100. This platform could not confirm a specific, current list of
sectors reserved exclusively for Tanzanian citizens from a primary source, and flags this as an open
gap -- readers should confirm sector-specific restrictions (for example, in mining, which has
historically had local-content requirements) directly with TIC or a Tanzania-qualified lawyer.
Work permits tied to investment
Foreign investors and their staff generally require a Class A, B, or C residence and work permit
depending on role -- see this platform's Immigration guide for Tanzania for the specific categories and
requirements.
Common mistakes people connected to Tanzania make:
- Relying on a single local-investor minimum-capital figure without checking both the USD 50,000
and USD 300,000 figures this platform found in conflict.
- Assuming the prior automatic 5-expatriate quota still applies, when the 2022 Act removed it.
- Not confirming sector-specific restrictions before committing capital, given this platform could
not confirm a complete reserved-sectors list.
