In 2013, Forbes named Rostam Aziz as the first Tanzanian to lay claim to a billion-dollar fortune. Aziz has since dropped out of the American publication’s annual ranking of The World’s Billionaires because of his decision to keep intricate details of his fortune private.
However, Aziz, 58, still boasts of one of the largest fortunes in East Africa.
In Tanzanian and East African business circles, Aziz is best known for his previous control of Vodacom Tanzania, the largest mobile telecom company in the country.
He facilitated Vodacom South Africa’s entry into Tanzania and once owned an estimated 35-percent stake in the company before disposing of his stake in two tranches in 2014 and 2019.
He pocketed close to $500 million from the sale of his shares.
Aziz has since moved on from Vodacom Tanzania to focus on his other numerous business interests. His billion-dollar empire is managed by Selous LLC, his Dubai-based single family office.
Here’s a quick rundown of some of Rostam’s Aziz’s more notable companies.
MIC Tanzania Plc
In 2022 – two years after selling off the last tranche of his Vodacom Tanzania shares, Aziz announced his return to the telecom business.
He partnered with Axian Group, a conglomerate controlled by Malagasy multimillionaire Hassanein Hiridjee, to acquire MIC Tanzania Public Limited Company, a telecom company formerly owned by Millicom.
The deal gave Aziz part ownership of two valuable telecoms assets — Zanzibar Telecom (Zantel) which is the only integrated Telecom service provider in Tanzania offering International Gateway services, Fixed, Mobile and data services and Tigo Tanzania, a mobile network operator with more than 13 million customers.
New Habari (2006) Limited
Aziz controls New Habari (2006) Limited, one of the largest media houses in Tanzania.
The company is the owner of highly influential Swahili newspapers such as Mtanzania, The African, Bingwa, Dimba, and Rai. Aziz controls the company through his proxies Gulam Abdulrasul Chakkar and Hassan Haydar Omar.
Coastal Aviation
In September 2022, Aziz acquired a 51-percent stake in Coastal Aviation, an inbound operator that offers personalised safaris and air charters for the tourism market.
The company’s fleet comprises ten Cessna Grand Caravan 208B and five PC-12s.
Aziz owns Taifa Gas, the largest LPG distributor in Tanzania.
It owns the largest storage facility in Tanzania with a total capacity of 7,450 metric tonnes and it exports LPG to neighboring East African countries such as Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan.
Caspian was founded in 1987 as a civils and earth-moving operation in Mbeya, Tanzania.
It has since grown into the largest locally-owned civils and mining contracting business in Tanzania with some of the largest mining companies in the country as its clients.
Taifa Leather Tanzania
Formerly known as ACE Leather Tanzania Limited, Taifa Leather Tanzania is the largest leather goods processor in Tanzania, processing 5,000 cow hides in a day.
It has a $25 million factory in Morogoro in the country’s eastern region.
Wembere Hunting Safaris Limited
Wembere Hunting Safaris has access to some of the best private hunting concessions in Tanzania for areas renowned for their trophy quality dangerous game.
