Dr. Hanifa T. Massawe holds a PhD in Law from Chemnitz University in Germany, a Master of Laws from Stellenbosch University, and a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B from Mzumbe University. She specializes in commercial law, adding to her vast theoretical and practical experience here.

She mainly focuses on the interrelationship between law and economic development.

In most of her publications and research endeavours, she works tirelessly to determine how legal instruments should be used as proper tools for striking an unequivocal balance for sustainable development in Tanzania.

Dr. Hanifa is an Advocate of the High Court of Tanzania and Subordinate Courts since 2010. Her specific interest is in Corporate Law and Governance, Tax Law, Mining, Competition Law, Securities, and Investment. She is also a member of the Tanganyika Law Society and an accredited Arbitrator by the Tanzania Institute of Arbitrators.

Dr. Hanifa T. Massawe has served as the Head of Department (Economic Law) from 2018-2023.  She is a Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Law and has supervised more than 500 undergraduate and 120 postgraduate research projects including one completed PhD Thesis, adding to three ongoing. She has been engaged in both research and consultancy works in collaboration with local and international collaborators such as the CIPIT, Strathmore University, RESITAI, STIPRO, and Ghent University.

She has been involved in the study on ‘Willingness to Pay Taxes and Levies at the Mwanza City Council’ funded by the World Bank, ‘the Review of Small and Medium Enterprises Policy of 2003’ commissioned by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and ‘Analysis of the Financial Sector Ecosystem’, commissioned by the Financial Sector Deepening Trust (FSDT).

Other involvements are in a research study on ‘Engendering the Mining Sector in Tanzania: To What Extent are Women Benefiting or Loosing out in Revenue Management?’ Others are the preparation of a Training Manual on Gender Dimensions within the Tanzania Police Force (TPF) and training Senior Assistant Commissioners of Police (SACP) on Gender-Based Violence. 

Dr. Hanifa T. Massawe has also worked with several Local Government authorities and state agencies in different consultancy training on specific legal aspects. She also serves as a member of the Fair Competition Tribunal.

As a member of the Institute of Directors Tanzania(MIoDT, 1114), she actively applies her corporate governance skills. She serves as a member of the Mzumbe University Council, a Board member of the Governing Council of GASCO, a subsidiary gas company of the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation(TPDC).

She is a Board member of the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority. She is also a Gender Desk Coordinator at Mzumbe University.