{"id":46753,"date":"2026-01-26T19:30:07","date_gmt":"2026-01-26T19:30:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/46753\/"},"modified":"2026-01-26T19:30:07","modified_gmt":"2026-01-26T19:30:07","slug":"tanzania-expects-to-sign-42-billion-mega-lng-project-before-june-minister-says","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/46753\/","title":{"rendered":"Tanzania expects to sign $42 billion mega LNG project before June, minister says"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>LONDON, Jan 26 (Reuters) &#8211; Tanzania expects to sign before June a deal for its stalled project to construct a $42 billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant, a senior government minister said on Monday, with production set to start in eight years&#8217; time.<\/p>\n<p>Equinor <a data-testid=\"Link\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/markets\/companies\/EQNR.OL\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" class=\"text-module__text__0GDob text-module__inherit-color__PhuPF text-module__inherit-font__1P1hv text-module__inherit-size__EyiQW link-module__link__INqxZ link-module__underline_default__-okuC link-module__with-icon__qlg76\">(EQNR.OL), opens new tab<\/a> and Shell <a data-testid=\"Link\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/markets\/companies\/SHEL.L\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" class=\"text-module__text__0GDob text-module__inherit-color__PhuPF text-module__inherit-font__1P1hv text-module__inherit-size__EyiQW link-module__link__INqxZ link-module__underline_default__-okuC link-module__with-icon__qlg76\">(SHEL.L), opens new tab<\/a> are joint operators of the mega gas project, which would unlock 47.13 trillion cubic feet of natural gas deposits, while Exxon Mobil <a data-testid=\"Link\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/markets\/companies\/XOM.N\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" class=\"text-module__text__0GDob text-module__inherit-color__PhuPF text-module__inherit-font__1P1hv text-module__inherit-size__EyiQW link-module__link__INqxZ link-module__underline_default__-okuC link-module__with-icon__qlg76\">(XOM.N), opens new tab<\/a>, Pavilion Energy, Medco Energi <a data-testid=\"Link\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/markets\/companies\/MEDC.JK\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" class=\"text-module__text__0GDob text-module__inherit-color__PhuPF text-module__inherit-font__1P1hv text-module__inherit-size__EyiQW link-module__link__INqxZ link-module__underline_default__-okuC link-module__with-icon__qlg76\">(MEDC.JK), opens new tab<\/a> and Tanzania&#8217;s national oil company TPDC are partners.<\/p>\n<p data-testid=\"promo-box\" class=\"text-module__text__0GDob text-module__dark-grey__UFC18 text-module__regular__qJJtA text-module__small__sph8i body-module__base__o--Cl body-module__small_body__gOmDf article-body-module__promo-box__hVl8h\"> Sign up  <a data-testid=\"Link\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/business\/energy\/tanzania-expects-sign-42-billion-mega-lng-project-before-june-minister-says-2026-01-26\/undefined?location=article-paragraph&amp;redirectUrl=%2Fbusiness%2Fenergy%2Ftanzania-expects-sign-42-billion-mega-lng-project-before-june-minister-says-2026-01-26%2F\" class=\"text-module__text__0GDob text-module__inherit-color__PhuPF text-module__inherit-font__1P1hv text-module__inherit-size__EyiQW link-module__link__INqxZ link-module__underline_default__-okuC\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">here.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The development was stalled by proposed government changes to a financial agreement reached in 2023.<\/p>\n<p>Along with ones in neighbouring Mozambique, Tanzania&#8217;s project could help establish the East Africa region as an emerging LNG export hub to Asia.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We have basically concluded the commercial discussions. We are now only discussing the legal framework of this agreement,&#8221; said Kitila Mkumbo, Tanzania&#8217;s minister of state in the president&#8217;s office for planning and investment, during a briefing in London.<\/p>\n<p>A specific legal framework was needed, Mkumbo said, given that at $42 billion this was the largest ever investment project for the country.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The deal is done and we expect this to be signed before June,&#8221; he said, adding the project was expected to create more than 100,000 jobs.<\/p>\n<p>Mkumbo also said President Samia Suluhu Hassan had instructed the central bank to sell some gold from its reserves.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We need cash. We have a lot of infrastructure projects that are going on and they need funding, so they have been instructed to sell part of it so that we get money for the infrastructure.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Gold prices marched to record levels above $5,100 on Monday, as investors sought a \u200bsafe haven amid international political tension.<\/p>\n<p>Mkumbo&#8217;s comments come in the wake of a number of bilateral partners reviewing their financial support following unrest surrounding last year&#8217;s election, which plunged Tanzania into its biggest political crisis in decades.<\/p>\n<p>Hassan was declared the landslide winner of the election after her two leading challengers had been disqualified from the race.<\/p>\n<p>The main opposition party, CHADEMA, and some human rights activists have said security forces <a data-testid=\"Link\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/africa\/senior-tanzanian-opposition-leaders-released-bail-party-says-2025-11-11\/\" class=\"text-module__text__0GDob text-module__inherit-color__PhuPF text-module__inherit-font__1P1hv text-module__inherit-size__EyiQW link-module__link__INqxZ link-module__underline_default__-okuC\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">killed more than 1,000 people in the unrest<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Hassan&#8217;s government disputes that number but has not put forward its own figure for the number of dead.<\/p>\n<p>International partners, mainly European nations, withheld between $2 billion to $3 billion of the country&#8217;s $10 billion development budget, including concessional loans and other budget support, in response to the events, Mkumbo said.<\/p>\n<p data-testid=\"SignOff\" class=\"text-module__text__0GDob text-module__dark-grey__UFC18 text-module__regular__qJJtA text-module__extra_small__8Buss body-module__full_width__kCIGb body-module__extra_small_body__Bfz20 sign-off-module__text__LQAMP\">Reporting by Karin Strohecker; editing by Diane Craft<\/p>\n<p data-testid=\"Body\" dir=\"ltr\" class=\"text-module__text__0GDob text-module__dark-grey__UFC18 text-module__regular__qJJtA text-module__small__sph8i body-module__base__o--Cl body-module__small_body__gOmDf article-body-module__element__5eCce article-body-module__trust-badge__5mS3f\">Our Standards: <a data-testid=\"Link\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thomsonreuters.com\/en\/about-us\/trust-principles.html\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" class=\"text-module__text__0GDob text-module__dark-grey__UFC18 text-module__medium__2Rl30 text-module__small__sph8i link-module__link__INqxZ link-module__underline_default__-okuC link-module__with-icon__qlg76\">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reutersagency.com\/en\/licensereuterscontent\/?utm_medium=rcom-article-media&amp;utm_campaign=rcom-rcp-lead\" target=\"_blank\" dir=\"ltr\" class=\"button-module__link__A3sD0 button-module__secondary__70gBu button-module__round__QDFgq button-module__w_auto__Sem-F\" data-testid=\"LicenceContentButton\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Purchase Licensing Rights<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"LONDON, Jan 26 (Reuters) &#8211; Tanzania expects to sign before June a deal for its stalled project to&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1893,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[55],"tags":[488,1773,9872,2096,4590,27160,1584,1762,1597,1591,1989,688,1775,715,495,492,1585,1586,4431,491,493,1592,1144,1598,1593,19111,1594,1397,1771,7672,7287,714,1395,690,2526,9875,2263,1589,1881,27159,1774,3862,27156,20985,27162,21854,1595,1596,1765,27157,1850,695,2531,4023,1766,19113,19114,1761,20990,20989,19109,3000,7925,27161,9874,23948,7290,27158,152,1770,2836,1590,489,592,4600,3201,1396],"class_list":["post-46753","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-tanzania","tag-afr","tag-amers","tag-asean","tag-asia","tag-asxpac","tag-ba","tag-cen","tag-cmpny","tag-com","tag-cru","tag-cwp","tag-dbt","tag-destousnrg","tag-destozabsm","tag-destozatpm","tag-eafr","tag-eci","tag-eco","tag-eeu","tag-emea","tag-emrg","tag-ener","tag-energy","tag-enff","tag-eng","tag-enqsvc","tag-enr","tag-europ","tag-expro","tag-expro1","tag-fdrt","tag-fin","tag-gb","tag-gen","tag-gol","tag-id","tag-lng","tag-mce","tag-metl","tag-mz","tag-namer","tag-ncyc","tag-ngl","tag-ngs","tag-no","tag-nord","tag-nrg","tag-oilg","tag-oili","tag-oilq","tag-plcy","tag-pol","tag-premtl","tag-prod","tag-publ","tag-refi","tag-refi1","tag-repiexploration-production","tag-repigas","tag-repilng","tag-repirefining","tag-resass","tag-rfod","tag-scandv","tag-seasia","tag-seeu","tag-shopal","tag-superm","tag-tanzania","tag-topicenergy-oil-gas","tag-topicenergy-power","tag-topicmarkets-commodities-energy","tag-tz","tag-us","tag-vio","tag-vote","tag-weu"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46753","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46753"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46753\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1893"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46753"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46753"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46753"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}