Barrick Gold Mining Company has contributed a significant Shilingi 3.6 trillion to Tanzania’s government revenue through taxes, royalties, and various fees over a period of four years, from 2020 to 2024.
This was revealed in Dodoma by Barrick’s Country Manager, Dr. Melkiory Ngido, during a presentation to the Parliamentary Energy and Minerals Committee on the progress of Barrick’s subsidiary, Twiga Minerals, a partnership between Barrick Gold and the Tanzanian Government.
Dr. Ngido explained that, based on four years of data, Barrick had invested over $4.24 billion (Shilingi 11 trillion) in the country’s operations, with $1.5 billion (Shilingi 3.6 trillion) paid to the government through taxes, royalties, and fees.
Since taking over management of its operations in Tanzania in 2019, Barrick has been a key economic player through investments, employment, and community development projects.
Economic Impact
Dr. Ngido detailed that $158 million (Shilingi 412.4 billion) or 4% of the revenue had been paid as government dividends from the partnership.
Additionally, $2.3 billion (Shilingi 6.04 trillion), representing 55% of total expenditures, had been directed towards local suppliers, while 32% of this investment, amounting to $1.37 billion (Shilingi 3.57 trillion), had been paid in taxes, royalties, and fees to the government.
A further $397 million (Shilingi 1.03 trillion) or 9% had been allocated to employee salaries, with $30 million (Shilingi 78.3 billion) dedicated to mineral exploration, and $15.6 million (Shilingi 40.7 billion) spent on community projects.
Also Read:Tanzania, South Sudan to Strengthen Economic Cooperation
Employment for Tanzanians
Dr. Ngido emphasized Barrick’s commitment to employing Tanzanians, with 96% of its workforce being Tanzanian nationals. The company currently employs 6,185 people, with 5,933 of them being Tanzanians, while foreign employees make up only 4%. Notably, 53% of the workforce comes from communities surrounding the mining sites.
He also pointed out that 100% of the senior management positions are held by Tanzanians, with women representing 13% of the total workforce. Barrick continues to strengthen its contributions to Tanzania by investing further in the mining sector, empowering local entrepreneurs, and improving the lives of communities around its mines.
It is worth noting that the June 2024 report by the Tanzania Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (TEITI) confirmed that Barrick Tanzania contributed 51% of the government’s total revenue from the mining sector, making it the largest single contributor to the country’s economy.
The Chairperson of the Parliamentary Energy and Minerals Committee, Dr. Mathayo David, praised the company’s efforts and urged Tanzanian employees to maintain high performance standards to safeguard the company’s reputation and the country’s national pride.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Minerals, Assistant Commissioner for Mineral Development and Mining from the Ministry of Minerals, Engineer Ally Samaje, stated that the government is proud of the significant achievements of the Barrick-Tanzania partnership through Twiga Minerals and that discussions are underway to establish additional joint ventures between the government and other investors