EPZA in a nutshell: The Government of Tanzania established the Export Processing Zones Authority (EPZA) an autonomous government agency under the Ministry of Industry and Trade in 2006 for the purpose of administering the Export Processing Zones (EPZ) program following the amendment of the EPZA Act of 2006. But, the amendments of the Export Processing Zone and Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Acts of 2011 gave EPZA an additional mandate to supervise the SEZ program. The key objectives of EPZA are to attract and promote export-oriented investments through EPZ and SEZ programs, facilitate investors under EPZ and SEZ programs as well as issue EPZ and SEZ licenses to investors. Once an investor obtains the SEZ or EPZ license he does not require any other license except for highly regulated industries like Food and Drugs.

Special economic zones include Export Processing Zones, Freeports, Free Trade Zones, Industrial Parks, Science and Technology Parks, ICT Parks, Agricultural Free Zones, Tourism Development Zones, and Business Incubation. EPZA issues the following types of licenses.

EPZA issues the following types of licenses

i. SEZ and EPZ Developer’s License

This license is given to an investor interested to develop industrial park infrastructures (internal roads, security fence, landscape, factory warehouses and provision of utilities such as power, water, sewerage systems, and telecommunications). The license is issued to an investor interested to build factory warehouses and basic infrastructures within the industrial park or standalone industrial unit.

ii. SEZ Operator (Zone Management Company)

Means any business entity that operates, maintains and promotes an SEZ in Tanzania.

iii. EPZ License (Export Processing Zone License)

Means a License issued by the Authority to an EPZ users in accordance with the EPZ Act and Regulations that entails an EPZ user to conduct Export Oriented manufacturing or processing activities.

iv. SEZ User License

Means a License issued by the Authority to an SEZ user in accordance with the SEZ Act and Regulations that entails an SEZ user to conduct Authorized SEZ Activities other than export-oriented manufacturing or processing activities.

v. SEZ permit

Means permits issued by the Authority under regulations 45 which entails a business entity to provide non-core business services in a declared SEZ. Such business may include as banking, insurance, electricity supply, IT and ICT services strictly within the industrial park.