Oil & Gas

Tanzania is moving to deepen its cooperation with Algeria’s state-owned energy company, Sonatrach, with a focus on training and skills development for Tanzanian professionals in the oil and gas sector. The talks, held in Algiers on September 7, brought together Sonatrach executives and a Tanzanian delegation led by Ambassador Iman Njalikai, alongside officials from the Petroleum Upstream Regulatory Authority (PURA).

Ambassador Njalikai highlighted Tanzania’s appreciation for Sonatrach’s ongoing support, noting that the partnership has already produced tangible results. However, he stressed the need for expanded training and knowledge transfer opportunities to build technical expertise among Tanzanian specialists. He also invited Sonatrach to consider direct investments in Tanzania’s oil and gas sector, citing new opportunities in exploration blocks to be released in the upcoming licensing round.

For his part, Sonatrach CEO Rachid Hachichi reaffirmed the company’s commitment to working closely with Tanzania. He pledged to strengthen cooperation through skills development, technical support, and collaborative efforts with Tanzania’s national institutions in advancing oil and gas projects.

The discussions are seen as a significant step toward structured collaboration between Tanzania and Algeria, focusing on human capital development and unlocking Tanzania’s vast natural gas and petroleum potential. This partnership is expected to bolster Tanzania’s ambitions of becoming a regional energy hub.