Tanzania’s $172M Arena: A Game-Changer for East Africa’s Entertainment Scene
Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan announces plans for a $172 million entertainment arena in Dar es Salaam, following calls from artists like Diamond Platnumz. Credit:gettyimages
Tanzania’s President, Samia Suluhu Hassan, has confirmed plans to build a $172 million entertainment arena.
Government spokesperson and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Culture, and Arts, George Msigwa, announced that funding for the project has been secured.
He said,
“This issue kept our President awake because we didn’t have the funds to build this facility. Finally, we got the funding. The President recently secured a $2.5 billion loan from South Korea.”
He added,
“The President confirmed that the first $172 million will be used to build the Arena, and the second phase will involve constructing a film city.”
This comes after artists, led by Diamond Platnumz, repeatedly asked the government to build a modern entertainment venue.
During the recent Trace Awards in Zanzibar, Diamond publicly urged President Suluhu to build the Arena to host major events. He criticized the lack of proper facilities, calling it a shame for the country.
The artist also pointed out that while the government has built stadiums in all regions, musicians have been overlooked, asking for just one dedicated venue.
The arena is planned to be built in Kawe, Dar es Salaam, though its capacity is still unknown.
Since the opening of BK Arena in Rwanda in 2019, other countries in the region have also expressed the need for similar facilities.
The lack of modern venues remains a challenge in the region. Recently, Kenya missed the chance to host Chris Brown, who said there was no suitable venue in Nairobi for his concert.
