Oil & Gas

Over 2,000 Tanzanians, including local youths from surrounding villages, have been recruited for the second phase of the Eyasi–Wembere oil and gas exploration project at Endeshi Village in Karatu District, Arusha Region. The project, contracted to Africa Geophysical Services (AGS), a locally owned firm, has entered its second phase involving the acquisition of 2D seismic data around Lake Eyasi, with 914 kilometres of seismic lines expected to be covered. According to Eyasi–Wembere project manager Mr Sindi Maduhu, most of the recruited youth were drawn from nearby villages such as Endeshi and Matala, enabling local communities to benefit from employment opportunities.

Ms Josephine Jumanne, a geophysicist with the Petroleum Upstream Regulatory Authority (PURA), stated that the regulator is closely monitoring the project to ensure compliance with the National Energy Policy of 2015 and the Petroleum Act of 2015. She emphasized that PURA’s main objective is to ensure local communities are fully engaged through direct and indirect employment, reinforcing the importance of local content in Tanzania’s oil and gas industry.

One beneficiary, Mr Joseph Lukumay from Endeshi Village, said the project has enabled him to meet his family’s basic needs, including education, highlighting the tangible impact of the initiative. He also thanked PURA for ensuring that the Local Content Policy and relevant laws are adhered to, which allows locals to benefit through employment and tenders for supplying goods and services, showing the broader economic benefits of the project to surrounding communities.

AGS Project Manager Vincent Evance explained that the contractor is preparing boats to facilitate movement within Lake Eyasi during exploration activities and that a large number of local residents have been recruited for various project activities. The project spans several districts, including Karatu, Ngorongoro, Meatu, Kishapu, Igunga, Iramba, and Mkalama, and PURA’s role includes promoting local content, supporting Tanzanians in the upstream petroleum industry, and managing petroleum exploration licenses, ensuring both regulatory compliance and community participation.