Tanzania’s Nduli Airport in Iringa has been substantially expanded and renovated, with more than 60 billion shillings invested in the facility, an infrastructure commitment that Deputy Minister for Transport David Kihenzile described as already delivering measurable benefits for business, agriculture, and tourism in the region.
Speaking at a public rally addressed by Prime Minister Mwigulu Nchemba at Luganga Bus Stand grounds in Iringa on 24 May 2026, Kihenzile outlined the Sixth Phase Administration’s broader infrastructure agenda for the region, centring on the airport upgrade and the government’s commitment to rehabilitating the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority system. “This is a historic railway and a symbol of our independence and self-governance. It reflects the patriotism of our leaders who decided to connect our nations. The railway was built with the capacity to carry five million tons of cargo but throughout its history it has never managed to handle that volume due to various challenges such as damaged infrastructure. As a result, the people of Iringa did not fully benefit from it. However, President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s decision to sign the rehabilitation agreement will restore the railway’s status,” said Kihenzile.
The 3.3 trillion shilling TAZARA rehabilitation agreement signed by Hassan in 2022 is expected to ease transportation of agricultural produce from Kilolo District and improve economic activity across multiple regions served by the line. Kihenzile also praised reforms in the ports sector including infrastructure improvements and the appointment of new port operators, noting that the results of those changes are already visible. Together, the airport upgrade, railway rehabilitation and port reforms represent a coordinated infrastructure investment in the connectivity that agricultural productivity, industrial development and tourism access in Tanzania’s interior regions depend on.
