OPPORTUNITIES AND BENEFITS OF INTEGRATING ESG PRINCIPLES INTO COMPULSORY LAND ACQUISITION:Lessons From the Kabanga Mining Project

Context and Background: Rapid growth in Tanzania’s mining sector has intensified compulsory land acquisition (CLA), yet the practical integration of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles into valuation, compensation, and resettlement remains unclear. This study explores the opportunities and benefits of integrating Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles into compulsory land acquisition (CLA) and resettlement in Tanzania’s mining sector, using the Kabanga Project as a case study. Methodology: This study adopted a qualitative approach, as the findings are based on the interpretation of respondents’ views through interviews, focus group discussions, observation, and document review. Goal and Objective: To investigate the adoption and integration of ESG principles during compulsory land acquisition and resettlement processes in mining areas of Tanzania for Sustainable development. Result: The findings for this study position ESG as an implementation architecture that turns statutory compliance into predictable, people-centered outcomes, whereby it revealed opportunities and benefits such as transparent entitlements, pre-cut-off rights education, consequential participation with women/youth seats, time-bound grievance redress, season-aligned livelihood support, time-certain housing with clear access to withheld balances, and visible environmental safeguards/basic services. Taken together, these measures form a sequenced governance pathway that clarifies rights, empowers decision-making, and verifies delivery.