The National Housing and Building Research Agency (NHBRA) are a semi-autonomous Government Executive Agency under the Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Human Settlements Development responsible for research on low-cost housing. Formerly NHBRA was a department in the same Ministry offering free services to the public. Due to government reforms, the department was changed to an executive agency for the purpose of delivering its services efficiently and effectively.

NHBRA is to provide Tanzanians with high-quality services and products of appropriate housing technologies and techniques that reduce construction costs through innovative solutions to satisfy customer needs for improved shelter and hence the quality of life. The functions of NHBRA are in line with the National Human Settlements Development Policy 2000, the National Housing Development Programme 2002, and the Habitat Agenda of 1997 as well as Tanzania’s Vision 2025.