Tanzania: Energy Minister Ndejembi Urges PURA To Fast-Track Oil, Gas Exploration Efforts

Tanzania’s newly appointed Minister for Energy, Hon. Deogratius Ndejembi, has urged the Petroleum Upstream Regulatory Authority (PURA) to develop robust strategies to accelerate oil and natural gas exploration in the country.

Ndejembi made the call in Dar es Salaam on Monday during his maiden meeting with the management of PURA.

During the meeting, he said he expects PURA to intensify efforts in formulating and implementing strategies that will expedite oil and gas exploration, noting that such studies typically take a long time.

“I expect to see PURA preparing and implementing strategies that will stimulate the exploration of oil and natural gas in various blocks, including Ruvu, Mkuranga, and Tanga, and clearly outline what needs to be done for us to achieve the desired results,” said Ndejembi, who represents the Chamwino Constituency in Dodoma.

Ndejembi further urged PURA to continue providing constructive advice to the Ministry on how to make the investment environment in the petroleum upstream sector more competitive, so that the country can achieve optimal results as it prepares for the fifth licensing round for oil and gas exploration blocks.

“Before we move to the fifth licensing round, I expect PURA to advise the Ministry on the steps we should take to make the environment more attractive to the investors we are targeting, while safeguarding our national interests. I expect this advice to come quickly so that we can make the process successful,” Ndejembi stressed.

He added that successfully executing the fifth licensing round will not only boost government revenue but also enable the Ministry to help the Government make a positive mark on the sector.

For his part, PURA Director General Engineer Charles Sangweni, speaking on behalf of PURA management, thanked Minister Ndejembi and the Ministry’s leadership for taking the time to meet with them.

Sangweni also pledged that PURA will continue to perform its duties effectively to achieve sectoral goals and contribute to Vision 2050.