Tanzania is seeking to attract more domestic and foreign investment into its energy sector, highlighting its natural gas reserves, renewable energy potential and strategic position as a possible regional energy trading hub.
Energy Minister Dr Juma Homera said the country was using the 2026 Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to showcase investment opportunities and strengthen partnerships with international investors.
He said Tanzania was positioning itself to benefit from growing global demand for reliable energy supplies, particularly as geopolitical conflicts and disruptions to supply chains continue to raise concerns over energy security.
Dr Homera said the country had significant untapped opportunities across natural gas, hydropower, solar, wind and geothermal energy, which could provide attractive investment prospects for companies seeking to expand their operations.
"Tanzania offers significant investment opportunities, with approximately 57.54 trillion cubic feet of natural gas resources that can be developed through Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and Mini-LNG projects," he said.
The minister also highlighted electricity generation projects, including the 2,115-megawatt Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project, the proposed 150-megawatt Kishapu Solar Power Project, wind energy development in Singida Region and geothermal resources in Mbeya and Songwe regions.
He said diversifying energy sources would help Tanzania strengthen electricity supply, support industrial growth and improve its capacity to meet rising domestic and regional demand.
Beyond generating electricity for domestic consumption, Dr Homera said Tanzania's geographical position offered an opportunity to become an important energy trading centre, serving markets across East and Southern Africa.
The ambition, however, will depend on the country's ability to attract the capital, technology and expertise needed to develop energy infrastructure and connect its resources to regional markets.
He stressed that predictable policies, effective legal frameworks, fewer bureaucratic procedures and properly researched investment projects were essential to making Tanzania more competitive in attracting international capital.
Investors, he said, needed a stable and transparent business environment to make long-term commitments, particularly in capital-intensive projects such as natural gas development, power generation and transmission infrastructure.
Dr Homera said the government, under President Samia Suluhu Hassan, was implementing the National Energy Compact, which seeks to mobilise approximately $4.039 billion in private sector investment.
The compact identifies renewable energy development, expansion of electricity transmission infrastructure and promotion of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) as key priorities.
Private sector participation is expected to play an important role in bridging financing gaps and accelerating the implementation of projects that would otherwise require substantial public resources.
For Tanzania, attracting such investment could help expand electricity access, improve supply reliability and provide industries with the energy needed to increase production and create employment.
The minister said effective implementation of the country's energy strategies would be critical to converting its natural resources into commercially viable projects while strengthening its position in international energy markets.
ADIPEC provides Tanzania with a platform to engage international energy companies, financiers and technology providers at a time when countries are competing to secure investment for both conventional and renewable energy projects.
The country's challenge will be to translate the investment opportunities presented at the conference into concrete commitments, financing agreements and projects that deliver measurable benefits to the economy.