ARUSHA: TANZANIA’S ambition to build a one trillion dollar- economy by 2050 will depend partly on how effectively public institutions translate national priorities into results.
Discussions at the fourth Forum of Chairpersons of Boards and Chief Executive Officers of Public Institutions and Enterprises (C-CEOs Forum) 2026 in Arusha brought this responsibility into focus, with participants highlighting lessons on leadership, institutional culture, human capital, financial sustainability and accountability.
Together, their reflections point to a central challenge: public institutions must change how they operate if they are to deliver on the country’s development ambitions.
Held from September 28 to 30, the C-CEOs Forum brought together more than 700 participants from over 320 public entities and companies.
Vice-President Deogratius Ndejembi officiated at the opening, while Chief Secretary Ambassador Dr Moses Kusiluka closed the forum.
Coordinated by the Office of the Treasury Registrar (OTR), the gathering examined the contribution of high-performing public institutions to a competitive, inclusive and resilient economy.
One central lesson was that implementation depends on what leaders do after agreeing on priorities.
Chief Executive Officer of the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange (DSE), Mr Peter Nalitolela, emphasised the need for participants to leave the forum with responsibilities rather than resolutions.
Resolutions establish commitments, but results require leaders to assign responsibilities, mobilise resources, monitor progress and address obstacles.
For boards and chief executives, this means translating national priorities into institutional objectives with clear ownership and measurable outcomes.
Chief Secretary Kusiluka reinforced this message by challenging boards and management teams to make bold, timely decisions during the early stages of implementing Dira 2050.
Decisions made now, he stressed, would influence the pace and quality of Tanzania’s development.
However, faster decision-making must not come at the expense of the law, accountability and good governance.
Dr Kusiluka urged institutions to seek clarification through established government systems when legal questions arise, enabling them to make decisions promptly and correctly.
Effective leadership, therefore, requires both the courage to act and the discipline to act within the rules. Delayed decisions can obstruct reforms and investments, but decisions must remain lawful, accountable and consistent with institutional mandates.
Decisive leadership alone, however, cannot guarantee implementation if an institution’s culture discourages change.
Head of the Institute of Adult Education (IAE), Professor Philipo Sanga, identified organisational culture and the mindsets of leaders and employees as important lessons from the forum.
Culture influences how employees respond to new ideas, how managers make decisions and whether teams are willing to challenge established practices.
Leaders must ensure that strategic priorities are reflected in workplace expectations, management decisions and performance assessments.
“Institutional transformation requires more than plans; it demands consistent leadership and working environments that support change,” said Prof Sanga.
He also emphasised collaboration between public institutions and the private sector, noting that implementing Dira 2050 requires coordinated efforts across organisations whose activities influence investment, production, employment and economic growth.
Institutions must identify where cooperation can improve delivery while clarifying the responsibilities and expected contributions of each party.
Director General of the Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation (TBC), Asha Dachi, similarly highlighted the importance of building and sustaining institutional culture.
Her reflections also covered environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations, emphasising that performance must incorporate responsible practices alongside operational objectives.
These principles need to be embedded in everyday decisions rather than treated as separate compliance requirements.
How institutions manage resources, govern their operations and fulfil their responsibilities is part of the value they deliver.
Human capital development provided another practical example of translating Dira 2050 into institutional action.
During the forum’s opening, Vice-President Ndejembi gave OTR, which oversees a portfolio of 308 entities comprising 252 majority-owned public entities and 56 companies in which the government holds minority interests, and other key ministries two weeks to develop a plan for placing 10,000 graduates in stateowned enterprises annually through structured internships.
The initiative aims to give graduates professional experience that can strengthen their ability to compete in domestic, regional and global labour markets.
Mr Ndejembi emphasised that public entities should be assessed not only by the dividends they contribute to the government, but also by their role in improving young people’s productivity.
He called for opportunities to cover graduates from different professional fields. The directive connects institutional performance with the development of a skilled workforce.
In his closing address, Amb Kusiluka also highlighted the potential of young people with specialised skills. He said the Office of the Chief Secretary was ready to approve their recruitment into leadership positions, particularly in innovation units, even where they lacked extensive experience, provided they possessed rare skills capable of improving productivity.
Together, these initiatives point to the need to create opportunities for young people both to gain workplace experience and to apply their skills to institutional innovation.
Managing Director of Benjamin Mkapa Hospital, Professor Abel Makubi, similarly underscored the importance of investing in the people expected to drive institutional performance and national development.
For institutions, this means providing employees with the skills, resources and working conditions needed to translate priorities into results.
Prof Makubi also emphasised the need to improve corporate culture and establish systems for assessing key performance indicators linked to Dira 2050.
“Regular monitoring enables institutions to identify gaps, track progress and take corrective action,” he underscored.
Treasury Registrar Nehemiah Mchechu reinforced this emphasis on accountability by challenging public enterprises to shift from measuring activities undertaken to assessing outcomes and the value generated for the nation.
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Completing planned activities does not necessarily mean an institution has achieved its objectives. Performance must be demonstrated through productivity, efficiency, innovation and effective use of technology, alongside careful management of public resources.
The indicators must also reflect each institution’s mandate. Mr Mchechu said commercial enterprises should demonstrate productivity, sustainability and profitability, while public service institutions should focus on the quality, accessibility and efficiency of their services.
This distinction echoes Prof Sanga’s observation that some public institutions exist primarily to provide services society needs rather than generate substantial financial profits.
Their contribution cannot be measured by commercial returns alone. While both commercial and service-oriented institutions require financial discipline, their performance measures must reflect the results expected of them.
Financial sustainability is part of this responsibility. Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Copyright Society of Tanzania (COSOTA), Naomi Mungure, highlighted the need for public institutions to explore additional revenue sources to reduce dependence on central government funding.
For institutions with opportunities to diversify income, additional revenue can strengthen their capacity to fulfil their mandates and improve financial resilience, provided those approaches remain consistent with their responsibilities.
Ms Mungure also highlighted the need to create internship opportunities that help young people build their capabilities.
Meaningful placements can expose graduates to professional responsibilities and workplace expectations, helping bridge the gap between education and employment.
Their value, however, will depend on whether institutions provide practical learning opportunities that develop relevant skills and prepare young people to contribute to productivity and innovation.
Ultimately, the success of these initiatives and the wider lessons from the CCEOs Forum will depend on implementation.
As Tanzania pursues its ambition of a $1 trillion economy by 2050, public institutions must demonstrate that their commitments translate into measurable improvements in productivity, service delivery and the value generated for citizens.
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