Deputy Minister for Energy, Hon. Salome Makamba, has announced that the Government has made a major investment in the construction of a Natural Gas (CNG) filling station for vehicles at Mlimani in Dar es Salaam, with more than TSh 12 billion spent to complete the facility, which has the capacity to serve up to 800 small vehicles and tricycles per day.
Hon. Makamba made the remarks on November 12, 2025, in Dar es Salaam during her inspection visit to the station, which is operated by GASCO, a subsidiary of the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC).
She noted that the Government, under the leadership of President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, continues to ensure that the country’s natural resources benefit citizens in various ways.
“The use of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) has significantly reduced the cost of living for transport operators. One kilogram of gas costs TSh 1,500, and with a 17-kilogram cylinder, a vehicle can travel up to 50 kilometres. This clearly shows that CNG is more affordable than petrol or diesel. Considering the high number of commercial vehicles and tricycles in Dar es Salaam, this investment creates a major opportunity for operators to reduce operational costs and increase their earnings,” she said.
The Deputy Minister added that by June 2026, additional CNG filling stations will be established along all major highways in Dar es Salaam.
She further noted that the Government has initiated plans to construct large stations in the regions of Morogoro, Dodoma, Arusha, Kilimanjaro and Tanga to expand access to the service and benefit neighbouring regions.
Hon. Makamba called on the private sector to increase investment in natural gas infrastructure, stressing that the demand for affordable energy is growing rapidly across the country. She emphasized that the Government has improved the investment climate through Public-Private Partnership (PPP) frameworks, particularly via the One Stop Centre, which simplifies service delivery.
She also reiterated that the Government continues to prioritise youth, noting that the gas and oil sector directly benefits young people engaged in transport services such as Bolt and tricycle operations due to reduced running costs.
For his part, TPDC Managing Director, Mr. Mussa Makame, said the Mlimani CNG station has a maximum capacity of filling up to 70,000 kilograms of gas per day, though it is currently dispensing 50,000 kilograms to tricycles, small vehicles and large trucks.
“Previously, before the Government constructed this facility, customers relied on private stations where waiting times could reach up to three hours. Today, vehicles take only four minutes to fill up, and the station can serve around 800 small vehicles and tricycles daily, alongside 15 large trucks supplying gas to smaller stations,” he said.
He added that by working closely with the private sector, the Government aims to ensure that Dar es Salaam has at least 15 large CNG stations by 2026, while new facilities will also be developed in Pwani, Morogoro, Dodoma, Arusha, Kilimanjaro and Tanga regions.
Beneficiaries of the CNG service commended the Government for initiating the project and for continued improvements in infrastructure, noting that filling gas now takes only a few minutes, helping them reduce operational costs and improve their income.
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