Tanzanian billionaire to invest $100m in Rwandan companies
Thursday, September 07, 2023
Tanzanian billionaire Mohammed Dewji meets Minister of Agriculture Ildephonse Musafiri in Tanzania. PHOTO: Courtesy of MINAGRI

Tanzanian billionaire Mohammed Dewji has expressed interest in investing in Rwanda through his company MeTL Group, which has operations in more than 10 African countries.

On Wednesday, September 6, the Dar es Salaam-based tycoon with $1.5 billion net worth met with Ildephonse Musafiri, the Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources and Rwanda Development Board (RDB) deputy chief executive Nelly Mukazayire.

Their discussions, held in Dar es Salaam, focused on collaboration and ways of speeding up investments of the group in Rwanda, the ministry said in a post on X.

Officials at the ministry told The New Times that MeTL Group expressed interest to invest around $100 million (more than Rwf120 billion) in four Rwandan companies that produce edible oil, soap, wheat and maize milling, carbonated drinks, plastic bottle recycling, agriculture, and fuel storage, among other strategic sectors.

The company has already secured land in Rwanda, the sources said.

"As a businessman, I'm grateful for the support & facility of Rwanda's institutions,” Dewji said in a post on X.

MeTL, a family-owned and diversified group of companies headquartered in Tanzania boasting of 38,000 employees, currently produces various products including wheat, maize flour, edible oil and detergents.

The company has operations in 11 African countries, including Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya, Burundi, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi and DR Congo.