Tanzania Chamber of Commerce goes fully digital with new trade portal

Kibaha. The Tanzania National Chamber of Commerce (TNCC) has transitioned to a fully digital service model following the launch of a comprehensive online platform designed to streamline key trade services for businesses across the country.

The new system, known as the Tanzania Chamber Portal, enables traders to process essential services through a single online interface.

These include applications for certificates of origin, chamber membership registration and the reporting of non-tariff trade barriers that affect the movement of goods across borders.

The portal will enable Tanzania-based traders and entrepreneurs take advantage of regional and continental opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

The platform was formally introduced in Kibaha, Coast Region, during a meeting that brought together around 100 producers and exporters.

Speaking at the event, TNCC Business and Empowerment Manager, Mr Ezekiel Kahatano, said the digital system marks a major step in modernising the chamber’s services and improving accessibility for the private sector.

Mr Kahatano explained that traders will now be able to apply for certificates of origin electronically and submit complaints about trade barriers through the portal.

This, he said, will significantly shorten processing times and allow the chamber to respond more quickly to issues raised by businesses.

“The chamber is also conducting capacity-building sessions to help producers and use the portal so that they can fully benefit from the services provided,” he said.

The digital system is intended to reduce operational costs for businesses and minimise the bureaucratic delays that have historically affected service delivery within trade facilitation processes.

A representative from the Coast Regional Commissioner’s Office, Ms Rehema Akida, also urged local traders to adopt the portal in their daily business operations.

She said digital tools can help improve efficiency and transparency in trade processes while supporting broader economic development efforts.

The launch of the portal comes as part of a broader transformation within the organisation.

Recently, the institution rebranded from the Tanzania Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (TCCIA) to the Tanzania National Chamber of Commerce (TNCC), reflecting a wider structural reform aimed at modernising its operations and expanding its membership base.

Established in 1988, the chamber has historically played a role in supporting Tanzania’s transition from a centrally planned economy towards a market-oriented system.

In recent years, it has also placed greater emphasis on promoting the participation of youth, women and persons with disabilities in formal economic activities.

The adoption of digital trade services mirrors a broader global shift among chambers of commerce towards electronic certification systems.

 Many institutions are implementing electronic certificates of origin, commonly referred to as e-CO systems, to simplify documentation procedures and improve the security of trade documents.

By digitising these services, the TNCC is expected to enhance the credibility and traceability of export documentation while reducing the administrative burden associated with paper-based systems.

The initiative also aligns with Tanzania’s wider digital transformation agenda, including policies aimed at strengthening the country’s digital economy and expanding the use of information and communication technologies in public and private sector services.

For exporters and producers, the chamber believes the new system will lower the cost of doing business by eliminating the need for physical paperwork and reducing the time required to obtain trade documentation.