Tanzania has inaugurated its main Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) station in Dar es Salaam, capable of refueling up to 1,200 vehicles per day and operating 24 hours a day. The launch comes amid a growing number of vehicles in the country switching to CNG as a cleaner, more cost-effective alternative to petrol and diesel.
Built by the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) at a cost of TSh 18.9 billion, the station is strategically located along the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) routes near the University of Dar es Salaam. It will serve public and private transport vehicles, industries, and institutions. The facility also includes a garage for converting vehicles from petrol or diesel systems to CNG.
Speaking during the launch event on May 9, 2025, in Dar es Salaam, Deputy Minister for Energy Judith Kapinga representing Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Energy Dr. Doto Biteko—urged TPDC to maintain the station well and make it a model for quality CNG service delivery.
Kapinga expressed gratitude to President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan for her vision and leadership in guiding the Ministry of Energy, saying the results are now visible, with the CNG station being a prime example.
“In the past, we’ve had complaints about long queues at CNG stations like the one at Ubungo Maziwa. The opening of this new facility proves the government is walking the talk in solving people’s challenges, especially access to affordable, clean energy,” said Kapinga.
“I commend President Samia for continuously addressing citizens’ concerns, and I applaud the TPDC board and management for this important milestone,” she added.
By June 2024, the number of vehicles running on CNG had risen to around 7,000 including 3-wheels motorcycles, an increase from 1,139 in 2021/22. This growth reflects the rising demand for alternative fuel sources in Tanzania.
In the year 2023/24 Tanzania’s CNG production reached 7,268,161.87 kg of which 5,662,448.20 kg of CNG was used to fuel vehicles equivalent to 79 percent of the consumption. At the same time, the refueling rate was approximately 1,919 CNG vehicles daily.
As of April 2025, a total of nine CNG stations are operational, up from just two in 2020/21. The government plans to build six more by 2026, and over 60 private companies have also expressed interest in constructing CNG stations.
The launch also featured the unveiling of a prototype bus from the Dar es Salaam Rapid Transit (UDART) system that runs entirely on CNG. This bus is one of about 100 planned to operate on BRT routes in the city.
CNG is not only environmentally friendly but also significantly cheaper. A trip that would typically cost TSh 100,000 in petrol can be made for just TSh 27,000 using CNG.
Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Energy, Dr. James Mataragio, praised TPDC’s board and management for successfully executing the CNG station project. He noted that the facility is the second-largest CNG station in Africa and the largest in East Africa—a source of national pride.
