Dodoma set to join expanding natural gas network

DODOMA: DODOMA is set to join Tanzania’s expanding natural gas network under a government plan to extend access to cleaner and potentially more affordable energy for households, industries and the transport sector.

The Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) said preparations were under way to connect Dodoma as part of the next phase of the country’s gas infrastructure expansion, extending services beyond regions currently served by the pipeline network.

TPDC Executive Director, Mussa Makame, said the corporation was already expanding natural gas services in Dar es Salaam, Coast Region, Lindi and Mtwara, while Morogoro, Dodoma, Tanga, Kilimanjaro and Arusha had been identified for the next phase.

“For the 2026/27 financial year, we are placing particular emphasis on increasing gas production, developing new resource areas and expanding domestic consumption,” Mr Makame said.

He said the planned expansion would open a new chapter for Dodoma’s energy infrastructure by bringing natural gas closer to households, businesses, industries and transport operators.

The TPDC chief said the broader strategy was intended to move natural gas beyond its traditional role in electricity generation and increase its use in household energy, industrial production and transport.

“Our goal is to make greater use of locally produced natural gas by expanding access for households, industries and transport while reducing reliance on other energy sources,” he said.

Mr Makame said Dodoma was also among the areas expected to benefit from MiniLNG distribution systems, which are designed to supply natural gas to locations that are not yet connected to conventional pipeline infrastructure.

The expansion comes as the government seeks to increase domestic consumption of locally produced natural gas and reduce dependence on other energy sources.

According to Mr Makame, TPDC connected about 1,000 households in Coast Region and Lindi to natural gas during the 2025/26 financial year. The initiative also extended gas access to two industries and three privately owned compressed natural gas (CNG) stations.

The corporation is also preparing the KinyereziChalinze gas pipeline, which is expected to supply industrial centres, including Zegereni and Kwala, as well as other consumers along the route.

Mr Makame said the feasibility study for the project had reached 90.4 per cent completion, while the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) stood at 81 per cent.

“The Kinyerezi-Chalinze gas pipeline will support the supply of gas to industrial centres, including Zegereni and Kwala, as well as other consumers along the route,” he said.

The planned infrastructure is expected to strengthen the link between gas-producing areas and emerging industrial centres, potentially supporting wider use of natural gas in manufacturing and other economic activities.

Mr Makame said demand for natural gas was continuing to grow, with more than 2,500 households already connected in Mtwara, Lindi, Coast Region and Dar es Salaam as TPDC works with the Rural Energy Agency to expand access to cleaner cooking energy.

The expansion to Dodoma could, therefore, represent an important step in widening the domestic gas market, particularly as the capital continues to expand as an administrative, commercial and industrial centre.

For the government, the challenge will be to ensure that the planned infrastructure expansion is matched by reliable supply, affordable connections and sufficient consumer demand so that the benefits of locally produced natural gas can reach households and businesses beyond the existing network.