6°16′30.735″S39°15′9.34″E / 6.27520417°S 39.2525944°E /-6.27520417; 39.2525944Fumba Town, also known asSilicon Zanzibar, is an urbanization initiative within the area of theFumbaSpecial Economic Zone inDimani Shehia, southwesternUnguja,Zanzibar, on the western coast of theFumba Peninsula. The development is a public-private partnership "led by the Zanzibar Ministry of Investment & Economic Development to attract African and global tech companies" and has been underway since 2014.[1]
A few kilometers north of Fumba-proper, and roughly 15km south ofZanzibar International Airport, it has been hailed by local observers as "a model for Africa's sustainable urban future",[2] and "a flagship example of how private investment and public policy can combine to shape greener, more inclusive African cities".[3][4] It has been highlighted by government-aligned publications as a critical component of Zanzibar and Tanzania's Vision 2050 development roadmap.[3] Design is currently managed by Berlin-based firm OMT Architects.[5][6] The original design was provided byDar es Salaam based architecture firm APC Architectural Pioneering Consultants.[7]
After opening its economy to foreign investors, forming theZanzibar Investment Promotion Agency (ZIPA) 6 years earlier,[8] 3000 hectares of the Fumba region of Unguja were declared to be aFree Economic Zone (FEZ) in 1992 by theZanzibari government. Little in the way of development was advanced for the next decade thereafter; gradual reforms over the course of the 2000s, 2010s, and early 2020s gave ZIPA additional administrative powers to act as an investment promotion authority. The agency used this to offer foreign investors incentives such as zero tax on worldwide net income for 10 years, and residency permits for ZIPA registered purchasers of a property valued at $100,000 or more, alongside their spouse and up to four children.[9][10]
In 2015, German engineering firmCPS Africa proposed Fumba Town to ZIPA, whereafter it was allocated 149 hectares and granted a 99 year lease on the property with "rental, sale, mortgage and inheritance rights". Local opposition initially prevented land acquisition, with representatives of CPS claiming that "it took us five years to get this land". during this period, local laws were amended to ease restrictions on development.[9]
In August 2022, the Zanzibari government launched the Silicon Zanzibar initiative, which sought to attract tech companies to the FEZ through a streamlined work visa process. It is intended as a means of achieving the 'Blue Economy Policy' of Zanzibar's development vision, which seeks to "promote economic development with low environmental footprint and limited resource requirements". This is part of a larger goal to diversify Zanzibar's economy to withstand threats that climate change will likely pose to its critical industries, including agriculture and tourism.[11] The physical base of this operation was established in Fumba Town.
CPS has aimed to "[demonstrate] that sustainability, affordability, and modern design can coexist".[3][9] They initially sought to provide a total of 3000 residential units, covering a 1.5km band of coastline over 149 acres.[4][12] Construction began in 2017.[10] The first houses were completed in 2018.[9] By 2023, this was 700 units, half of those being permanent residences.[4][13] Over 1000 units had been sold by that time, making it one of the fastest selling real estate developments in Tanzania.[14] By late 2025, a hundred more had been completed, and the community counted over 1500 residents.[3] CPS is aiming to complete 5000 units by 2035.[9]
On 30 August 2022, a new commercial pavilion was opened to "provide...services such as retail, offices, food and beverage, [and] medical and sports facilities".[12][15] In September of that year, multiple development firms criticized Zanzibar's government for what they perceived to be an overly bureaucratic and insincere incentive delivery process, resulting in the incurrence of losses and simultaneous threat of potential revocation of their lease by Zanzibari authorities. This came on the heels of the revocation of Pennyroyal Company's land lease on the Blue Amber Resort development (led by the same investment team as had set Fumba Town in motion) northeast of Zanzibar City. A representative for CPS pointed to the slow pace of receipt of and vacillating use guidelines for residential permits and title deeds as being major impediments to continued growth and investment in the region.[16][17]
In 2023, the American non-profit Charter Cities Institute announced that it had signed anMOU with CPS Africa to support Fumba Town's expansion. This would involve the creation of a new campus for theAfrican School of Economics in the community, which would serve as ananchor tenant to spur further development.[4] Representatives for the company attended the EU-Tanzania Business Forum in 2023, calling upon Zanzibar's government to place an intense focus on streamlining the region's real estate policies and administrative framework, claiming that the industry could serve as a massive boon to the islands' economy.[14][18] According toDeutsche Welle, one additional "high-profile educational institute" and more than 200 businesses have expressed interest in establishing themselves in Fumba Town.[10]
Additional augmentations planned by the developers include a "full-fledged hospitality and business district", more expansive affordable "smart" housing options,district-wide renewable energy infrastructure, alongside improved "health, recreation, and mobility infrastructure to support a growing and increasingly diverse population".[3]
Fumba Town has been noted for its role in fueling job creation and skill acquisition in Zanzibar. It has purportedly contributed $60m to Tanzania's economy; the tenders and contracts it has provided to local construction companies and specialty trade groups has served as a boon for local employment, and as an opportunity for apprentices and trainees to get hands on experience in specialized roles, including as "engineers ... carpenters ... [and] solar technician[s]."[3][13]
In February 2023, CPS established an engineering scholarship for female graduate interns "to provide a platform to nurture and empower female graduates to achieve higher female representation in the engineering industry".[19] The program began with four recipients, three from theUniversity of Dar es Salaam, one fromArdhi University.[13] The first student graduated in September 2023.[20]
The developers have stated that they "never treated sustainability as a marketing phrase", but rather "[their] starting point". This includes the use ofmass timber as a substitute for sand, green infrastructure, walkable communities, and "renewable energy and independent water systems, including solar roofs, rainwater harvesting, and decentralized wastewater treatment". Steps have purportedly been taken to bring the community as close to the ideal of a circular economy as possible.[3][9] Timber production will soon be localized upon the completion of the SuperTimber2000 factory in Zanzibar.[3] The development maintains a permaculture landscape and, as of 2023, has achieved 94% waste recycling.[13]
The project has been credited with helping to revive the Fumba Peninsula's nocturnalred colobus monkey population, which was decimated alongside the region'smangrove forests as a result of logging in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. This is aided by the development's hosting of 157 plant and tree species which, combined with a central water fountain, have helped to return local bird and insect populations as well.[9]
A 96-meter timber tower known as the "Burj Zanzibar" has been under development since 2022, and is expected to be completed between 2027 and 2028. It will operate under the banner ofCanopy by Hilton, being Zanzibar's first such enterprise; it is the first structure of its kind on the African continent.[5][21][22] The development was launched inMuscat,Oman, on 1 October 2025. The tower was originally set to consist of 266 units.[23] Covering 28 stories, it will be constructed using "asteel-reinforced concrete core, withcross-laminated timber andglulam comprising other structural elements".[22][23] The structure will include passive design elements aimed at enhancing sustainability, including "permanent sun shading provided by the facade to limit heat-gain on the inside, [and] the integration of roof gardens and planters."[22]
Upon completion, it will be the world's tallest timber apartment structure.[13] It will be constructed with the assistance of specialists from Switzerland, Austria, Germany, South Africa, Tanzania, and the United States.[22] Unit prices will range from $79,000 to roughly $951,000.[24]
| Specifications[5] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Typology | Mixed-use high-rise | ||
| Gross area | 55.350 mi2 | ||
| Net area | 34.130 mi2 | ||
| Accomodations | 293 apartment-units / 180 keys | ||
| Cost | $57.4 million | ||
| Material | Hybrid engineered timber | ||
Writing forThe Citizen, Paul Owere praised new urban developments such as Fumba Town andNyamanzi City, seeing them as "stepping stones in the transformation of Zanzibar into a dynamic business hub where the rhythm of commerce blends with the island's timeless allure". However, he pointed to concerns over the potential for such projects to displace locals and traditional ways of life in Zanzibar, posing a threat to Unguja's "unique identity". He worried that "pristine beaches might give way to concrete jungles, and the gentle sway of palm trees could be lost to the drone of traffic and construction." Nonetheless, he highlighted arguments from local businessmen that such projects represented a significant opportunity to attract investment and foster job creation.[25]
Speaking toDeutsche Welle in 2023, locals expressed concerns over the affordability of Fumba Town's properties.[10]
Home prices can range from roughly $40,000 to $381,000. A vast proportion of the development's clientele are foreign nationals, hailing from over 50 countries, chiefly among themKenyans,Americans, andOmanis. The company's annual return on investment is estimated at 15% after tax.[9][13]
Beyond the Fumba Town development, CPS Africa's stakeholders and partners are also involved with the Paje Square project in Unguja's southeast, as well as the Blue Amber Resort project northeast of Stone Town.[16][26] The development is home to offices for several prominent corporations, includingWasoko, recognized by the Financial Times as Africa's fastest growing company, which has moved more than 40 tech workers and several members of its senior leadership to the property.[11]
The 12th edition of the Zanzibar International Trade Fair opened at theNyamanzi Exhibition Grounds in Fumba Town on December 19 2025, lasting until January 16; the opening was officiated by 2nd Vice President of ZanzibarHemed Suleiman Abdulla. The government intends for thetrade expo to spur market development and improve links between regional producers and international export partners.[27] Participants in the expo include government representatives, domestic merchants, and foreign firms. At the expo, the government announced a plan to register at least 150 development projects each year.[28]
The first iteration ofFuTopia, an urbanfestival organized byBusara Promotions showcasing "creativity,sustainability, and innovation" took place in Fumba Town from August 29 – 31 2025.[29] It is an extension of the group'sSauti za Busara(Sw : 'Wise Voices') festival, which has been held annually in February for more than 22 years; Fumba town has served as the festival's main sponsor since 2022.[30][31] A portmanteau of "future" and "utopia", it was described byThe Citizen as "aim[ing] to transform everyday spaces into vibrant cultural zones that bring together music, art, food, fashion, sports, and technology".[29][32]
Morning events were primarily centered around cultural, civic, and community engagement; evening events were largely entertainment based, featuring musicians from across theAfrican continent, among them "Bensoul ...Rosa Ree,Damian Soul, Wamoto Music, Humphrey Mubba, Warriors of the East, the all-female Uwaridi Band, Tryphon Evarist, and DJ KCM".[29][32] Also featured were liveDJ sets andmultimedia performances.[29] Attendees traversed multiple "zones" concerning a variety of different cultural modes; topics ranged from international food to health, craftsmanship, sports, children's education, and the literary arts.[29][32] The second iteration of the festival will take place in August 2026, with plans to be held annually moving forward.[31][33]