Tanzania is set to open new oil and gas exploration opportunities, with a licensing round scheduled to begin in May.
A total of 26 blocks will be available—three in Lake Tanganyika and 23 in the Indian Ocean.
According to Charles Sangweni, Director General of Tanzania’s Petroleum Upstream Regulatory Authority (PURA), the agency has identified the blocks and compiled the necessary data. The next step is securing government approval for the Model Production Sharing Agreement, which will outline fiscal terms for investors. Officials expect the licensing round to launch in mid-May.
This marks Tanzania’s first licensing round in over a decade. The last one, held in 2014, attracted major international energy firms but faced delays due to regulatory uncertainties and fiscal negotiations. The country holds an estimated 57 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves, positioning it as a key player in East Africa’s energy sector.