Residents in Pwani Region and Lindi Region have been urged to take advantage of a natural gas distribution project that is supplying clean cooking energy to homes along the gas pipeline corridor.
The project, funded by the Rural Energy Agency (REA) at a cost of Sh6.8 billion, has enabled the installation of natural gas infrastructure for 1,000 households and one institution.
The initiative is being implemented and supervised by the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation.
Speaking during a working tour by editors who visited the project site in Kisemvule area of Mkuranga District in Pwani Region, REA’s Acting Technical Assistance Manager for Project Development, Engineer Emanuel Yesaya, said the government expects residents to utilise the opportunity created by the project.
He said REA continues to finance various energy projects across the country and residents in areas where the projects pass should ensure they connect to benefit from reliable and cleaner energy.
The natural gas distribution project covers Mnazi Mmoja in Mingoyo Ward in Lindi Region and Kisemvule in Mkuranga District in Pwani Region.
The areas were selected because they lie along the main natural gas pipeline that transports gas from Mtwara Region to Dar es Salaam.
Engineer Yesaya said the project was designed to help communities access clean cooking energy while reducing reliance on firewood and charcoal.
The project was completed in January 2026 after REA allocated the funds to TPDC to oversee its implementation.
“With completion of the project, all 470 households and one institution in Lindi and 530 households in Kisemvule, Pwani have been installed with natural gas meters and are already using the service,” he said.
He added that the project aims to reduce health risks associated with smoke from traditional fuels while also contributing to environmental protection by limiting deforestation caused by firewood and charcoal use.
According to him, the gas system allows households to purchase gas through mobile payment services using a reference number linked to their meters.
“Customers can buy natural gas starting from Sh1,000, making it affordable for many households,” he said.
Engineer Yesaya said the government is considering expanding similar projects in future phases to reach more communities.
TPDC engineer Antony Kayomba said the project, which began in March 2025, involved the construction of 56.56 kilometres of gas distribution pipelines.
Of this, 31.33 kilometres were built in Lindi Region while 25.23 kilometres were installed in Kisemvule, Pwani Region.
He explained that the system operates on a prepaid basis, where customers purchase gas before use, and assured that safety measures have been put in place to protect users.
Kitangwi sub-village chairman in Kisemvule Village, Vikindu Ward, Hussein Shemndolwa, said residents who have already connected to the service are benefiting from the project.
However, he appealed for expansion of the project, noting that Kisemvule has more than 12,000 households and many residents are still waiting to be connected.
He added that the village government is constructing a kitchen at Kisemvule Primary School where gas equipment and stoves will be installed to support school feeding for pupils.
One of the beneficiaries, Mariam Sekena, said natural gas has helped reduce cooking costs for her household.
She explained that previously her family spent up to Sh25,000 on cooking fuel and sometimes relied on firewood and charcoal when fuel ran out. Since switching to natural gas two months ago, she said costs have dropped significantly.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Tanzania Editors Forum, William Shao, commended REA for supporting the project and encouraged the agency to expand similar initiatives in other parts of the country.
He said wider access to clean cooking energy would help households reduce energy costs while improving health and protecting the environment.
