Tanzania's Shift to Compressed Natural Gas Faces
Infrastructure Challenges
Tanzania's adoption of compressed natural gas (CNG) as an
alternative to petrol and diesel is gaining momentum, driven by its
cost-effectiveness and environmental benefits. However, limited infrastructure
is hindering its widespread implementation.
CNG, considered a cleaner-burning fossil fuel, costs less
than half the price of petrol, making it an attractive option for many
motorists, especially commercial drivers. The government aims for near-total
adoption by mid-century, leveraging the country's vast natural gas reserves.
Currently, approximately 5,000 vehicles, a small fraction of Tanzania’s fleet,
run on CNG.
The conversion cost, starting at around 1.5 million
Tanzanian shillings ($620), poses a barrier for some, but the long-term savings
are significant. For example, a motorist can spend just 15,000 shillings ($6)
to cover 180 km using CNG, compared to double that amount for petrol.
Despite these benefits, the limited number of filling
stations - only four in Dar es Salaam - leads to long queues, often requiring
drivers to wait for hours to refuel. Efforts to expand infrastructure include
the construction of a central "mother station" in Dar es Salaam,
additional smaller stations, and mobile CNG units in key cities like Dodoma and
Morogoro.
Private sector involvement is also growing, with companies
like Taqa Arabia planning to build more stations to support the increasing
demand. The Tanzanian government remains committed to encouraging private
investment and expanding the CNG network to facilitate the transition.
While these measures promise improvements in the medium
term, the current scarcity of filling stations continues to frustrate early
adopters. Addressing infrastructure gaps will be critical to achieving the
government’s vision of a CNG-powered future.