…Gazprom, Russia’s massive state-owned multinational energy corporation has expressed interest to implement comprehensive gas projects in Tanzania
…Novatek, Russia’s independent conglomerate focused on exploration, production, and processing of natural gas and liquid hydrocarbons has also indicated preparedness to participate in natural gas exploration and production projects in Tanzania.
By Kester Ken Klomegar in Moscow, Jaston Binala in Mbeya City, and Agencies
Two Russian multinationals in the oil and gas sector have expressed strong interest to ‘put money’ into Tanzania’s gas fields. There is also collective Russian interest for stake at the Dar es Salaam port.
The interest has been expressed amid rekindled love between the two countries—a spark of love initiated by former Tanzania Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa during his two trips to heir of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)—Tanzania’s intimate friend in the past.
Majaliwa, who retired in 2025, traveled to Russia in July 2023, when he attended the Second Russia-Africa Summit at St. Petersburg, and in October 2019, when he represented the then Tanzania President, the Late John Pombe Joseph Magufuli at the first Russia-Africa Summit in Sochi.
After the two trips to Russia, Majaliwa continued to regularly host, in Tanzania, Russian delegations and officials, including a high-level economic talks with Russia’s Minister of Economic Development, Maxim Reshetnikov– to strengthen partnerships in trade, energy, agriculture, and tourism.
The Russian Minister of Economic Development was in Arusha, Tanzania, this May of 2026, where he revealed Russia’s very strong interest in growing business links with Tanzania.
The Russia–Tanzania Business and Investment Forum took place Arusha on 15 May as part of the 3rd meeting of the Joint Intergovernmental Russia–Tanzania Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation, this time led by Russian Minister of Economic Development and Tanzania’s Minister of State in the President’s Office for Planning and Investment Kitila Mkumbo, who stated that Tanzania’s plan was to now focus the Tanzania-Russia relations toward business, instead of politics [as was the case in the past].
Talking to journalists at the Russia–Tanzania Business and Investment Forum in Arusha, Reshetnikov said the Russian business community is ready to expand volume of product supplies to Tanzania.
“Our importers, for example, say they are ready to accept a much larger volume. There are issues with commercial consignments, volumes and so on. Therefore, on the one hand, this is a challenge, and on the other, an opportunity,” Reshetnikov noted, adding that many Russian companies are already implementing investment projects in Tanzania, related to investment in agriculture and production expansion.
“It is very important for us to translate trade interaction into mutual investment and then into technological development. In addition, of course, we have a number of key megaprojects and major projects here,” the minister said.
He noted that the economies of the two countries complement each other, where Russia supplies wheat and sunflower oil to Tanzania and imports raw materials for the tobacco industry, fruit, coffee, nuts and tea from the African country.
Reshetnikov also revealed that Russia is currently negotiating with Tanzanian on acquiring concessions at Dar es Salaam Port to develop logistics links. “It is very important for us that logistics develop as a whole, so we are considering and negotiating concessions for access to the port berths [of Dar es Salaam],” Reshetnikov explained.
Guess who’s travelling to Russia next: President Samia Suluhu Hassan is Meanwhile preparing for a trip to Russia.
Reporting from Moscow, Kestér Ken Klomegâh tells TZ Business News The Tanzanian delegation is expected to participate in the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, which will be held from June 3 to 6 2026, where the African Agenda will be of great importance.
The programme will include the Russia-Africa Business Dialogue, which has since 2016 been the annual meeting place for representatives of Russian and African business and Government officials. The come together is organized by the Russian Roscongress Foundation.
Russia and Tanzania plan to sign a memorandum of cooperation in tourism in Moscow. In June, as part of the “Travel!” forum in Moscow (June 10-14), Tanzanian delegation was already given the invitation to participate, noted Reshetnikov while further explaining that Russia is interested in launching direct air service between the two countries, which would “give a powerful boost to tourism development.”
Air Tanzania’s initiative to launch flights from Moscow to Dar es Salaam, with high hopes that Russia and Tanzania will complete the necessary procedures for the entry into force of the new air traffic agreement as quickly as possible. In particular, officials are awaiting notification from the Tanzanian side regarding the entry into force of this agreement.
Air Tanzania will begin flights from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s largest city, on May 28. According to the online flight information at the capital’s Vnukovo Airport, flights on this route will include a stopover on the island of Zanzibar. Flights will operate three times a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. The program will run until October 24. The Tanzania President’s state visit to Russia is expected to boost bilateral trade and investment and to provide additional impetus to developing mutual cooperation.
Russia pledged tremendous support for the East African Community (EAC) nation during the Russia-Tanzania Intergovernmental Commission meeting in Arusha, in mid-May 2026, according to reports from Moscow.
Russia is undertaking various development projects as well addressing bilateral issues relating to investment, trade and innovation on the African continent, and describes Tanzania as the gateway to the broader East African region.
Gazprom, Russia’s massive state-owned multinational energy corporation is interested in implementing comprehensive gas projects in Tanzania, according to a report issued by the Ministry of Economic Development. The report says Gazprom, in addition to selling natural gas, LNG, and petrochemical products, the company is ready to supply to Tanzania technologies and equipment for gas production, processing, transportation, and sales.
Gazprom is alread continuing its work on a pilot project launched last year to supply two mobile gas tankers to Tanzania, the report says. In a seperate commitment, Russia’s largest independent, publicly traded natural gas producer, Novatek PJSC said its eyes are also set on opportunities in Tanzania. The independent a conglomerate, focused on exploration, production, and processing of natural gas and liquid hydrocarbons, with operations heavily concentrated in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Region of Western Siberia, has indicated preparedness to participate in natural gas exploration and production projects in Tanzania.
The conglomerate says its staff are awaiting for information on the date of Tanzania’s fifth round of license allocation for exploration blocks, as well as on the acquisition of blocks outside the tender process—specifically, at the Ntorya field.
“Tanzania has significant resource potential, and the economy’s growing demand for electricity and fuel opens up significant opportunities for joint projects,” Reshetnikov said in Arusha. “The current situation in the Strait of Hormuz compels us to seek new solutions to ensure that it does not reduce economic growth on the African continent, and particularly in Tanzania,” he said.
