Tanzania’s $42 Billion LNG Project Nears a June Signing
TANZANIA · ENERGY
Key Facts
—The push: Tanzania is targeting a host government agreement for its long-stalled LNG project by the middle of 2026.
—The size: The development is worth roughly $42 billion and targets more than 47 trillion cubic feet of offshore gas.
—The players: It is led by Equinor and Shell, with ExxonMobil, Pavilion Energy, Medco Energi and the state firm TPDC.
—The milestone: The agreement is the legal backbone of the project; without it, construction cannot begin.
—The timeline: First production is not expected until around 2034.
—The stakes: A signing would put Tanzania on a path to join Africa’s gas exporters.
Tanzania is pushing to sign the host government agreement for its $42 billion Tanzania LNG project by mid-2026, a deal led by Equinor and Shell that would unlock one of Africa’s largest gas developments and set the country on a path to become an LNG exporter.
The Tanzania LNG project nears a decision
Tanzania is pushing to sign the host government agreement for its long-stalled liquefied natural gas project. Officials are targeting a deal by the middle of 2026.
The agreement is the legal backbone of the roughly $42 billion development. Without it, the project cannot move to construction.
After years of delay, the signing would be the most significant milestone in the project’s history. It would put Tanzania on a path to join Africa’s gas exporters.
Who is building it
The project is led by Equinor of Norway and Shell. They are joined by ExxonMobil, Pavilion Energy, Medco Energi and the state-owned Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation.
That line-up reads like a roll-call of the global gas industry. The majors bring capital, technology and access to buyers.
Their continued interest, despite the delays, signals confidence in the underlying resource. The gas is there; the question has been the terms.
The gas beneath the sea
The development targets more than 47 trillion cubic feet of offshore natural gas. That is a vast resource by any measure.
Turning it into exports means cooling the gas into liquid form for shipment. An onshore LNG plant would do that work.
First production is not expected until around 2034. Megaprojects of this scale run on long horizons.
Why it matters for Tanzania
For Tanzania, LNG is a chance to convert buried gas into revenue, jobs and energy. The stakes are national in scale.
Exports would bring foreign currency and tie the country into global energy markets. Done well, the gas could also feed domestic power and industry.
The risk is the one every resource economy knows. Big projects can overpromise, and a world turning toward cleaner energy adds uncertainty to the timeline.
An East African gas race
Tanzania is not moving in isolation. Its neighbour Mozambique is already developing large LNG schemes, and the region is becoming a gas frontier.
The contest to attract the majors and their capital is part of a wider scramble for African energy. Whoever signs first gains a head start.
The immediate signpost is the host agreement itself. A signature by mid-2026 would turn a decade of talk into a plan.
A decade of false starts
Tanzania’s gas has been a promise deferred for years. Talks over terms, taxes and guarantees stalled repeatedly.
Each delay carried a cost, as capital and attention drifted elsewhere. Rival projects advanced while Tanzania negotiated.
The renewed push reflects a government keen to break the deadlock. A signed host agreement would reset the clock.
For the majors, certainty on terms is what unlocks the cheque. Multibillion-dollar commitments need stable rules for decades.
That is the bargain now on the table.
Gas in a greening world
The project arrives as the world debates the future of fossil fuels. Demand for gas is strong now but clouded over the long run.
Supporters argue gas is a bridge fuel that can power growth with lower emissions than coal. Critics warn of stranded assets if demand fades.
Tanzania is betting that buyers will want its gas for decades to come. The 2034 start date stretches that bet far into the future.
Managing that uncertainty is part of the deal’s design. Long contracts and committed buyers reduce the risk.
Whether the bet pays off will not be clear for years.
What a signing would unlock
A host agreement would do more than green-light construction. It would send a signal to investors weighing East Africa.
Confidence is contagious in energy. One landmark deal can draw others in its wake.
For Tanzania, the prize is a place among the region’s energy players. Gas revenue could fund roads, schools and power at home.
The risks are real, from cost overruns to shifting demand. But the upside is a generational change in the country’s finances.
The signature, when it comes, will be the moment to watch.
Frequently asked questions
How big is Tanzania’s LNG project?
About $42 billion, targeting more than 47 trillion cubic feet of offshore natural gas.
Who is leading the project?
A consortium led by Equinor and Shell, with ExxonMobil, Pavilion Energy, Medco Energi and the state firm TPDC.
What is the host government agreement?
The legal framework that allows the project to move to construction. Tanzania is targeting a signing by mid-2026.
When would gas start flowing?
First production is expected around 2034.
Why does it matter?
It would make Tanzania an LNG exporter, bringing revenue and energy, and deepen East Africa’s role as a gas frontier.
Connected Coverage
Africa’s energy build-out is a thread in Africa: The New Scramble. See more from the Eastern Africa desk and our coverage of ExxonMobils backing for South Africas first LNG import terminal.
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