Tanzania weighs takeover of billionaire Mo Dewji’s MeTL tea estates in Mbeya

Tanzanian billionaire businessman Mohammed Dewji (Mo Dewji) is at the center of renewed talks between Tanzania’s government and Mohammed Enterprises Tanzania Limited (MeTL) over more than 2,000 hectares of unused tea estates in Mbeya Region, as officials weigh options ranging from a state takeover to a redistribution plan for smallholder farmers.

Deputy Minister for Agriculture David Silinde told lawmakers this week that discussions are ongoing and remain open-ended. He said the government is reviewing several paths, including acquiring the estates outright or restructuring their use so that local farming cooperatives can manage production. Lawmakers raised concerns in parliament after questions were posed about when the idle land would be repossessed and returned to productive use.

President Samia Suluhu questions privatized tea assets

Silinde said one option under review allows cooperatives to operate processing factories tied to estates, giving farmers a more direct role in the tea value chain. Restarting operations at estates is viewed by officials as key to lifting output in Southern Highlands and improving earnings for households reliant on tea farming, as many growers in Mbeya lack access to formal buyers and rely on local arrangements without functioning processing facilities.

The issue has developed into a wider policy and political debate over the past year. In September 2025, President Samia Suluhu publicly raised concerns at a rally in Rungwe, saying the government was reviewing whether some privatized tea assets had met development expectations. Her comments came during an election period in which agricultural reform and rural livelihoods featured prominently in public debate.

MeTL targets organic estate conversion

Mo Dewji, who has led MeTL since 2005, pointed to the group’s agricultural investment plans, including financing secured in November 2025 from the African Development Bank. The $24.6 million senior loan is part of a $74.7 million program to upgrade tea processing facilities, restore aging estates, and convert over 1,000 hectares into certified organic plantations. The plan also includes expansion into sisal and macadamia farming to stabilize agricultural output. 

Agriculture Minister Hussein Bashe had earlier urged the company to clarify its position, saying publicly that if MeTL could not turn around operations, the government should be allowed to intervene. His remarks reflected growing pressure from local leaders in tea-growing areas where production has slowed due to underused infrastructure.

No timeline set for resolution

MeTL remains one of Tanzania’s largest private employers, with operations spanning agriculture, energy, manufacturing, textiles, and logistics across several African markets. With an estimated net worth of $2.1 billion, Mo Dewji ranks among Africa’s wealthiest individuals.

In Mbeya, tea remains a cash crop, but inactive processing facilities linked to MeTL have left thousands of smallholder farmers without buyers. Talks between government and MeTL continue, and officials have not set a timetable for resolution. No agreement has been announced, and company has not responded to parliamentary update.