The East Africa Commercial and Logistics Center (EACLC) in Dar es Salaam enhances regional commerce and attracts cross-border buyers, with traders reporting tangible business growth.
A New Hub for Regional Trade
The East Africa Commercial and Logistics Center (EACLC) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, is emerging as a transformative logistics and trade platform for East Africa, integrating warehousing, showrooms, customs support and business services in one location. Built with Chinese backing, the hub was designed to reduce trade bottlenecks between China, Tanzania and neighbouring markets, offering a modern alternative to crowded traditional commercial districts.
“Beyond wholesale and retail functions, the center integrates supply chain coordination, smart warehousing, cross-border logistics, exhibition services and on-site spot procurement. By combining trading, display and logistics in one location, we seek to enhance connectivity, improve circulation efficiency and promote mutual benefit and win-win development between China and Africa,” said Cathy Wang, General Manager, EACLC.
Traders See Business Expansion
Ayoub Katuga, founder and CEO of Ascon Africa Security & Investigations, described the centre as a game-changer for his wholesale clothing business. “This environment has completely changed how we do business,” he says, emphasizing the appeal of the orderly, well-structured showrooms that draw customers from across the region.
He highlighted how the centre’s infrastructure helps build trust with buyers: “Our customers enjoy coming here, and that alone makes a big difference,” Katuga said, underscoring the shift from traditional marketplaces like Kariakoo to modern facilities. “Before, most wholesale trade was concentrated in Kariakoo. But the infrastructure there is crowded. Here, everything is modern and well-structured. Customers feel comfortable, and that builds trust.”
Opening New Regional Markets
For Katuga, the centre has also expanded his market reach beyond Tanzania. Traders from Zambia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda now visit Dar es Salaam to buy goods, strengthening cross-border business linkages. “It connects us directly with Chinese suppliers and attracts regional buyers to Tanzania. That is a new mode of business,” he said, noting that the centre’s setup enhances his supply chain.
This shift reflects a broader trend in regional commerce: businesses are leveraging the facility not just for local sales but for broader East African distribution, tapping into improved logistics and visibility that traditional markets often lack.
Infrastructure Meets Trade Facilitation
The EACLC goes beyond the offerings of an ordinary market space. It is conceived as a one-stop trade and logistics platform that brings together storage, customs coordination, shipping services and business support under one roof , designed to improve efficiency and lower traditional costs associated with fragmented supply chains.
This integrated model reflects efforts to enhance China-Africa economic cooperation, with the centre serving as both a commercial hub and a gateway for Tanzanian participation in major Chinese trade expos and fairs, further linking local traders to global networks.
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