Theme: Nyumba ni Sisi: Removing the Roadblocks to Adequate and Affordable Housing in Tanzania

Date & Venue: 24th – 26th March 2025, Dodoma

A groundbreaking National Housing Conference was held in Dodoma from March 24th to 26th, 2025, under the powerful theme “Nyumba ni Sisi” – a call to action emphasizing the centrality of people in the quest for adequate and affordable housing. The conference was graced by the Deputy Mayor of the City of Dodoma and brought together a wide range of stakeholders, including delegates from the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements, local government authorities, civil society organizations, academia, housing companies, NGOs, and the Microfinance Association.

Hosted by the Just City Platform, under the leadership of Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, the conference aimed to ignite an enduring and inclusive dialogue on housing challenges and solutions in Tanzania. TAMFI, a proud member of the Just City Platform, participated in the conference as part of its continued commitment to promoting inclusive financial solutions for social development.

The objectives of the Conference included:

1. To foster dialogue among diverse actors including ministries, civil society, and academic institutions on housing issues;
2. To revive and expand conversations around socially just housing policies and the relevance of a National Housing Policy;
3. To share and generate actionable policy recommendations for a more inclusive housing sector.

The key topics discussed included:

1.  Urban Narratives: From “Smart City” ideals to the vision of a “Just City,” participants reflected on shifting paradigms in urban development.
2. Political Economy of Housing: An in-depth analysis of the structural and economic dynamics influencing Tanzania’s housing sector.
3. Affordable Housing Challenges: A focused debate on whether Tanzania needs a new or revised National Housing Policy.
4. Housing as a Right: Advocating for a rights-based approach to shelter and urban habitation.
5. Housing Finance & PPPs: Exploring the roles of financial institutions and public-private partnerships in unlocking access to housing.
6. Just Social Housing: Unpacking opportunities and systemic barriers in delivering social housing in Tanzania.

This conference marks the beginning of a broader series of strategic advocacy engagements on housing. Future meetings and follow-up forums are expected to continue building on the momentum, bringing together the same network of participants to refine and advance the recommendations shared in Dodoma.

As housing remains a pressing issue affecting millions across the country, the conversations initiated at this conference signal a hopeful shift towards more inclusive, sustainable, and socially just housing policies for Tanzania.

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