The Government of Tanzania has officially launched the construction of a new section of the Makambako–Songea road, a key transport route linking the Njombe and Ruvuma regions.

The road, which has served the area for more than four decades, had significantly deteriorated, creating serious challenges for transport, trade, and agricultural productivity.

The launch was presided over by the Minister for Works, Abdallah Ulega, who emphasized the road’s importance as a national infrastructure asset rather than just a regional project.

The Makambako–Songea corridor is considered vital for supporting Tanzania’s southern agricultural belt, where both Njombe and Ruvuma are major food-producing regions.Poor road conditions have historically led to delays in transporting goods, increased costs, and post-harvest losses for farmers.In addition to agriculture, the region’s growing coal industry is expected to benefit from improved logistics once the road is completed.

The project covers a total of 295 kilometres and includes two major components: a 100-kilometre Songea–Litukila section and a 16-kilometre bypass around Songea town to ease congestion.

Funding for the project comes jointly from the Tanzanian government and the World Bank through the Tanzania Transport Integration Project (TanTIP), with a total investment of 158.7 billion Tanzanian shillings.

Infrastructure improvements will include one major bridge, 11 smaller bridges, 2,436 culverts for drainage, 2,224 street lights for safety, and a weighbridge at Luhimba to control truck loads and protect road durability.The contractor assigned to the project is Zhongan Hauli Construction Group, and authorities have urged timely completion to meet public expectations.

The project aligns with President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s broader strategy to modernize transport infrastructure and position the southern corridor as a commercial hub, expected to boost investment, improve regional connectivity, and strengthen Tanzania’s economic growth.