Qatar has repatriated 75 Tanzanian truck drivers after they failed to operate advanced heavy-duty vehicles, highlighting a critical skills gap in Tanzania’s workforce.
The drivers, deployed to Doha for commercial transport jobs, were unable to handle the highly automated Volvo trucks used in Qatar’s logistics sector.
Trained primarily on outdated manual vehicles in Tanzania, the drivers reportedly froze when faced with the digital dashboards and GPS-guided systems of the modern fleet.
Tanzania’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, confirmed the incident during a press briefing.
“The drivers were overwhelmed by the level of digital integration. Many had never seen such technology before — the cabins resembled aircraft cockpits, and several couldn’t operate the touchscreen interfaces to input directions,” he explained.
Although the drivers had completed training at the National Institute of Transport (NIT) in Dar es Salaam, as well as additional refresher courses, their lack of digital literacy proved to be a major setback in adapting to Qatar’s high-tech transport systems.
In response, Minister Kombo announced plans to procure a prototype truck from Qatar for training purposes at NIT.
“We are exploring the acquisition of a modern truck to better prepare our drivers for international standards,” he said.
Qatar had initially opened over 800 truck driver positions, with more than 300 allocated for Tanzanian applicants. The repatriation of the first batch of recruits has now raised concerns about future placements.
Ambassador Habibu Awesi Mohamed, Tanzania’s envoy to Qatar, and Khalid Al Rahiya, Employment Relations Manager at Qatari transport firm Mowasalat – Karwa, had been coordinating the recruitment.
Their collaboration included plans for oral and practical driving tests in either Tanzania or upon arrival in Qatar.
The incident has sparked broader concerns about Tanzania’s preparedness for a global, tech-driven labour market.
Industry observers say the failure underscores an urgent need to revamp technical and vocational training to match modern job requirements.
“This should be a wake-up call,” noted a senior education analyst. “We must modernise our training curricula and ensure our workforce is digitally competent to compete in today’s economy.”
Despite the setback, the Qatari team is still expected to visit Tanzania for future recruitment efforts.
However, the government must now accelerate reforms to ensure its labour force is equipped with the necessary technological skills for international employment opportunities.
