List of Famous people born in Tanzania

Abdulrazak Gurnah is a UK-based novelist. He was born in the Sultanate of Zanzibar and moved to the United Kingdom as a refugee in the 1960s during the Zanzibar Revolution. His novels include Paradise (1994), which was shortlisted for both the Booker and the Whitbread Prize; Desertion (2005); and By the Sea (2001), which was longlisted for the Booker and shortlisted for the Los Angeles Times Book Award. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2021 "for his uncompromising and compassionate penetration of the effects of colonialism and the fates of the refugee in the gulf between cultures and continents".

John Pombe Magufuli is a Tanzanian politician and the fifth President of Tanzania, in office since 2015. He was the chairman of the Southern African Development Community from 2019–2020.

Mbwana Ally Samatta is a Tanzanian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Turkish club Fenerbahçe on loan from Premier League club Aston Villa, and the Tanzania national team.

Marin Elizabeth Hinkle is an American actress. Among many television and movie roles, she is best known for playing Judy Brooks on the ABC television drama Once and Again, Judith Harper-Melnick on the CBS sitcom Two and a Half Men, and Rose Weissman on the comedy-drama series, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, on Prime Video. For her role in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Hinkle was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2019 and 2020.

Mohammed "Mo" Gulamabbas Dewji is a Tanzanian billionaire businessman and former politician. He is owner of MeTL Group, a Tanzanian conglomerate founded by his father in the 1970s. Dewji served as Member of the Tanzanian Parliament for Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) from 2005 to 2015 for his home town of Singida. As of October 2019, Dewji has an estimated net worth of US $1.9 billion, therefore positioning him as the 17th richest person in Africa and the continent's youngest billionaire. Dewji is also the first Tanzanian to cover Forbes Magazine in 2013.

Benjamin William Mkapa was a Tanzanian politician who served as the third President of Tanzania. He was in office for one decade from 1995 to 2005. He was Chairman of the Revolutionary State Political Party.

Nasibu Abdul Juma, popularly known by his stage name Diamond Platnumz, and often referred to as "Simba" or "The King of Bongo-Flava" is a Tanzanian bongo flava recording artist, actor, dancer, philanthropist and a businessman from Tandale, Dar es Salaam. He is the founder and CEO of WCB Wasafi Record Label, Zoom production, Wasafi TV, a major Tanzanian media outlet, and Wasafi Fm, one of Tanzania's most widely listed radio stations. He has had several hit songs including "Number One" featuring Nigerian artist Davido, and African Beauty featuring Omarion. His significant contribution to African music continues to be widely recognised at the public level with him being awarded numerous awards, from Channel O, MTV Awards, Soundcity, Kilimnjaro Music Awards, Headies, Afrima, Afrimma, Kora, AEA, the HiPipo Music Awards and more.

Bayume Mohamed Husen was an Afro-German soldier, actor and victim of Nazi persecution.

Ali Hassan Mwinyi is a Tanzanian politician who served as the second President of the United Republic of Tanzania from 1985 to 1995. Previous posts include Interior Minister and Vice President. He also was chairman of the ruling party, the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) from 1990 to 1996.

Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete is a Tanzanian politician who was the fourth president of Tanzania, in office from 2005 to 2015. Prior to his election as president, he was the Minister for Foreign Affairs from 1995 to 2005 under his predecessor, Benjamin Mkapa. He has also served as the chairperson of the African Union in 2008–2009 and the chairman of the Southern African Development Community Troika on Peace, Defence and Security in 2012–2013.