Operating in Tanzania? Speak with a security consultant.
Tanzania is East Africa’s largest economy by land area and a significant commercial and logistics hub, anchored by the port of Dar es Salaam. It attracts oil and gas sector investment, donor operations, and a growing corporate travel market. The security environment has deteriorated on several dimensions since 2023.
FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts of Tanzania. The terrorism threat is assessed as likely. The October 2025 general election produced post-result protests with fatalities, demonstrating that civil unrest can materialise with limited warning.
Express kidnapping methodology
Express kidnapping in Dar es Salaam is a financially motivated, short-duration criminal methodology. Operators posing as taxi drivers or approached near hotels identify targets who appear affluent or foreign. The victim is taken to ATMs, often at knifepoint, and required to make cash withdrawals until the daily limit is reached. Payments average around GBP 5,000 per incident based on documented cases.
The primary counter-measure is ground transport management: using only pre-vetted, tracked drivers with verified identities. Street hailing of taxis in Dar es Salaam is a significant risk exposure.
Al-Shabaab regional context
Al-Shabaab’s operational reach has extended into Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province. Tanzania’s northern border with Mozambique and its eastern coastline are within the group’s assessed regional activity zone. There is no current confirmed cell in Dar es Salaam. The risk is regional and structural rather than immediate. It is included in every Tanzania threat assessment and informs venue selection and crowd avoidance planning.
Multiple Tanzanian airlines on the UK Air Safety List
Several Tanzanian carriers appear on the UK Air Safety List, which prohibits or restricts operations into UK airspace due to safety concerns. When planning international movements into or within Tanzania, carrier selection requires specific verification. This is an air safety issue rather than a security threat, but it affects itinerary planning for any professionally managed travel.
Regulatory gap
Tanzania’s private security industry operates with limited formal regulation compared to Kenya or South Africa. We could not confirm the licensing rules against a primary source on 7 October 2026. Operator quality varies widely. Documented vetting through company registration, reference checks, and background screening is the only reliable quality assurance mechanism in this market.
Source: FCDO Travel Advice: Tanzania (2025). OSAC Tanzania Country Security Report 2024. UK Air Safety List (Civil Aviation Authority, 2025).
Our vetted operators provide close protection and executive protection and security driver services across Tanzania. For a detailed local assessment, see our Dar es Salaam city briefing.
Cities We Cover
Dar es Salaam
High riskTanzania's commercial capital and primary port city. Express kidnapping targeting expatriates and affluent nationals is documented at GBP 5,000 average. The October 2025 post-election protests resulted in fatalities. Al-Shabaab maintains a regional threat posture from its Mozambique and Somalia operations.
View city guide →Security Regulations
Firearms
The rules on whether private security staff in Tanzania may carry firearms could not be confirmed against a primary source on 7 October 2026. Ask any provider which permit covers each weapon, and take local legal advice before engagement.
Licensing
Private security licensing in Tanzania could not be confirmed against a primary source on 7 October 2026. Ask any provider for its licence and the issuing authority, and take local legal advice before engagement.
Foreign Operators
Rules for foreign security companies and personnel in Tanzania could not be confirmed against a primary source on 7 October 2026. Take local legal advice before a foreign team carries out protective duties.