Tanzanian envoy, Algeria’s Sonatrach CEO discuss investment opportunities in oil,  natural gas

Algiers, Algeria: Tanzania’s Ambassador to Algeria, Iman Njalikai, has met with the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Algeria’s National Oil Company, Sonatrach, Rachid Hachichi, to discuss ways the two sides can cooperate in the oil and natural gas sub-sector.

The meeting, held in Algiers on Sunday (September 7, 2025), brought together senior leaders and officials from Tanzania’s Petroleum Upstream Regulatory Authority (PURA) and Sonatrach, with both countries also highlighting various investment opportunities in this key sector for their economies.

Speaking at the session, Ambassador Iman said that although Tanzania and Algeria have long collaborated in various areas, this is the first time discussions have been held involving Tanzania’s Petroleum Upstream Regulatory Authority (PURA).

“I am aware that Sonatrach and the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), enabling the two institutions to work closely together on oil and natural gas matters.

“We thank Sonatrach for continuing to open its doors to us, and indeed we have already seen the fruits of this cooperation,” the diplomat added.

Also read: Tanzania, Algeria regulators move to boost cooperation in oil, gas exploration

Ambassador Iman also noted that Tanzania is still building the capacity of its professionals, including those working at PURA, and thus requested Sonatrach to continue offering training and capacity-building programmes.

The envoy further invited Sonatrach to invest in Tanzania’s oil and gas sector, particularly in exploration blocks once the licensing round is launched.

For his part, Sonatrach Chairman and CEO Hachichi said the company is ready to seize opportunities and continue collaborating with Tanzanian institutions, including PURA, in building expertise in oil and natural gas issues.