The start of construction on the TAZARA Training Centre and Operations Control Centre marks an important shift from planning to visible implementation under the wider revitalisation programme. Together, the two facilities address critical requirements for a modern railway: skilled personnel capable of operating and maintaining new systems, and centralised control of train movements across the 1,860-kilometre network.
This development will support safer operations, more efficient use of locomotives and wagons, improved service reliability and stronger operational decision-making. As enabling infrastructure for the planned US$1.4 billion modernisation, the facilities also lay the institutional and technical foundations needed to strengthen TAZARA’s freight role between the Port of Dar es Salaam, Zambia and regional markets.
The TAZARA Railway Revitalisation Project has reached its first visible construction phase with the groundbreaking of a new Training Centre and Operations Control Centre in Dar es Salaam.
The two facilities represent enabling infrastructure for the wider revitalisation programme. The Training Centre will build the technical, operational and managerial capabilities needed to operate and maintain the modernised railway, while the Operations Control Centre will provide centralised coordination and monitoring of train movements across TAZARA’s 1,860-kilometre network.
The milestone follows the signing, on 29 September 2025, of a Public-Private Partnership concession agreement between TAZARA and China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation for the rehabilitation, modernisation and operation of the railway’s freight component. The concession provides for investment exceeding US$1.4 billion, including infrastructure rehabilitation and the acquisition of new locomotives and wagons.
The groundbreaking confirms that physical work has commenced on two institutional and operational components of the programme. However, the information released does not confirm that full-scale track rehabilitation, signalling renewal, station works, rolling stock acquisition or concession operations have begun.
CCECC says it is advancing engineering design, technical optimisation, project financing, government approvals and construction planning. This indicates that the wider revitalisation programme remains partly in the development and mobilisation phase while construction proceeds on the Training Centre and Operations Control Centre.
- Construction has commenced on a new TAZARA Training Centre and Operations Control Centre in Dar es Salaam.
- The two facilities are among the first visible physical developments under the wider TAZARA Railway Revitalisation Project.
- The Training Centre will be developed on a 21,800-square-metre site, with a total construction floor area of 9,641 square metres.
- Planned facilities include training laboratories, classrooms, office workstations and conference rooms.
- The Centre will provide technical, operational and managerial training for engineers, technicians, locomotive drivers, train controllers, station personnel, safety officers and managers.
- It will also support continuous professional development, technology transfer and the localisation of skills required to operate and maintain new railway infrastructure, rolling stock, communications systems and equipment.
- The Operations Control Centre will coordinate, monitor and control train movements across TAZARA’s 1,860-kilometre network.
- Planned systems include large-screen displays, train-dispatching communications, integrated monitoring systems and information-management platforms.
- The Centre is intended to improve train coordination, capacity allocation, emergency response, operational decision-making and the utilisation of locomotives and wagons.
- TAZARA signed a Public-Private Partnership concession agreement with China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation on 29 September 2025.
- The concession covers the rehabilitation, modernisation and operation of TAZARA’s freight component.
- Planned investment under the concession exceeds US$1.4 billion and includes infrastructure rehabilitation and the acquisition of new locomotives and wagons.
- CCECC says engineering design, technical optimisation, project financing, government approvals and construction planning are continuing.
