Tanzania's LNG plans remain stalled

A decision to split the energy and minerals ministry in two may be intended to dispel uncertainty over future liquefied natural gas export plans, but more than that will be needed

Since a draft agreement with international oil companies designed to kickstart Tanzania's LNG export industry with some $30bn of investment was drawn up earlier this year, little has happened. A number of government declarations and measures that had already unsettled foreign investors culminated in the submission of three bills to parliament in June. They gave the government power to force natural resources companies to renegotiate their contracts. The move was part of a clampdown by President John Magufuli on foreign companies in the mining sector, which he said were taking too much money out of the country. He had previously sacked Sospeter Muhongo, the minister in charge of minerals and