Dar es Salaam. As Tanzania positions itself to become one of Africa’s major energy economies, a growing debate is emerging over whether ordinary citizens truly know what is happening in the country’s petroleum industry.
From the gas fields of Songo Songo and Mnazi Bay to fresh exploration prospects in Singida’s Eyasi Wembere Basin, the sector continues to attract billions of shillings in investments and national attention.
Yet, despite constitutional guarantees on the right to information, experts warn that secrecy, bureaucratic barriers and conflicting laws are undermining transparency and public accountability.
These concerns are highlighted in a recent 2025 study by University of Dodoma legal scholar Emmanuel Malya titled Realisation of the Right of Access to Information in Mainland Tanzania’s Petroleum Industry.
The study argues that although Tanzania has enacted laws such as the Access to Information Act and the Petroleum Act to promote openness, many citizens still struggle to obtain crucial information related to contracts, revenues, ownership structures and decision-making processes within the petroleum sector.
“Numerous obstacles continue to impede its effective realisation within the petroleum sector,” the study notes, citing “unreasonable access limitations, discriminatory provisions, and broad exemptions that enable authorities to withhold essential information.”
The paper explains that when citizens and stakeholders fail to access timely and accurate information, accountability weakens and the risks of corruption and mismanagement increase.
“This lack of transparency creates conditions that encourage mismanagement, corruption, and inefficiency, ultimately hindering sustainable development,” the study states.
Tanzania’s petroleum journey dates back more than a century, with oil seeps first reported in the Lake Tanganyika area in 1896. Commercial natural gas discoveries later emerged in Songo Songo in 1974 and Mnazi Bay in 1982.
Today, the two sites produce an average of more than 236 million cubic feet of natural gas daily, according to government figures cited in the study.
However, governance analysts argue that the country’s growing energy ambitions must be matched with stronger transparency systems.
A governance and policy analyst, Ms Aikande Kwayu, said access to information is essential if Tanzanians are to benefit fully from natural resources.
“When information is restricted, citizens cannot effectively monitor how resources are extracted, managed or shared,” she said in an interview. “Transparency is not merely a legal issue; it is an economic and social justice issue.”
She added: “People want to understand what agreements exist, what revenues are generated and how those resources improve their lives. Without openness, mistrust grows,” she noted.
The study particularly criticises bureaucratic procedures that discourage citizens from seeking information.
Researchers say the process of requesting information remains cumbersome and, in some cases, inaccessible to ordinary citizens unfamiliar with legal procedures.
However, government institutions maintain that Tanzania has already made considerable progress in strengthening transparency and accountability within the extractive sector.
Through the Tanzania Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (TEITI), the government has continued implementing international transparency standards aimed at improving disclosure of revenues, contracts and ownership structures in oil, gas and mining industries.
Tanzania joined the global Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) in 2009 as part of wider reforms intended to improve governance in natural resource management.
Recent TEITI reports show ongoing efforts to expand disclosure of beneficial ownership information and strengthen public access to extractive sector data.
Officials from the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) have also previously highlighted the use of digital platforms, public reports and inter-agency oversight mechanisms to improve public access to information within the petroleum industry.
Energy expert Calist Andrew said while transparency gaps remain, Tanzania should also be recognised for the legal and institutional reforms already introduced over the years.
“Tanzania has made progress compared to where the sector was years ago,” he said. “The challenge now is ensuring implementation becomes more effective and information becomes easier for ordinary citizens to access.”
He added that openness in the petroleum industry could strengthen investor confidence while protecting public interests.
Mr Andrew further stressed that information accessibility is critical for universities, researchers and civil society organisations working to assess the environmental and economic implications of petroleum projects.
“For Tanzania to avoid the so-called resource curse, information must flow freely. Citizens should not struggle to understand how their natural wealth is managed,” he said.
The study recommends harmonising legal frameworks, simplifying procedures for information requests and establishing independent oversight mechanisms to enforce transparency standards.
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