FOUR EXPLORATION LICENCES STRENGTHEN TPDC’S CAPACITY TO DEVELOP PETROLEUM RESOURCES
Tanzania has granted TPDC four oil and gas exploration licences to strengthen its exploration capacity and expand opportunities for local employment, skills development and business participation.
The Government has strengthened the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation’s (TPDC) capacity to undertake oil and natural gas exploration by granting it four exploration licences, enabling the corporation to hold its own blocks and participate directly in the exploration and development of these resources.
The Minister for Energy, Hon. Dr. Juma Zuberi Homera, announced the development on 28 October 2026 during the signing ceremony for the four licences at the Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre (JNICC) in Dar es Salaam.
Speaking at the ceremony, Dr. Homera said the decision was grounded in the Petroleum Act, 2015, which provides for TPDC to hold its own oil and natural gas exploration blocks, strengthening its direct participation in exploration activities.
“The Government will continue to strengthen oversight of the oil and natural gas sector by ensuring that all activities comply with the law, uphold safety, protect the environment and serve the broader national interest,” Dr. Homera said.
He emphasised the importance of cooperation between the Ministry of Energy, TPDC, the Petroleum Upstream Regulatory Authority (PURA) and other sector stakeholders to ensure that exploration and development activities are implemented effectively, with each institution fulfilling its statutory responsibilities.
Dr. Homera also said the Government was continuing efforts to increase the country’s natural gas reserves. He reported that drilling had been completed on three wells in the Mnazi Bay block in Mtwara Region, comprising two production wells and one exploration well.
Alongside efforts to strengthen exploration and production, the Government is expanding the use of natural gas in electricity generation, households, industries and institutions, as well as in vehicles through compressed natural gas (CNG) technology.
As of September 2026, Tanzania had 22 operational CNG stations, 20 vehicle conversion workshops and more than 20,000 vehicles running on CNG. In addition, 57 factories, 31 institutions and approximately 3,000 households had been connected to natural gas infrastructure.
Dr. Homera reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to ensuring that TPDC’s growing capacity and the development of the oil and natural gas sector deliver direct benefits to Tanzanians through employment, training, capacity development for local professionals and greater participation by Tanzanian companies in the supply of goods and services.