Page 13 - DMEA Week 38 2021

DMEA PETROCHEMICALS DMEA

Tanzania discussing fertiliser

project with potential partners

AFRICA TANZANIA’S government says it is in talks with Ministry, is working to speed up and conclude
several potential investors on a fertiliser project the negotiations and eventually find potential
that would make use of locally produced natural investors to build fertiliser factories with the aim
gas. of ending the serious problem of importing fer-
Deputy Minister for Industry and Trade tilisers from abroad,” he stated.
Exaud Kigahe told legislators recently that Tan- The deputy minister did not name any of the
zanian officials had previously held discussions companies currently involved in the talks. But he
with two German companies – Ferrostaal, a steel did emphasise that the Tanzanian government
manufacturer, and Helm, a diversified industrial saw the construction of a domestic fertiliser
group involved in fertiliser production, several plant as a high priority.
years ago. Once the state signs an agreement with a for-
Since then, he said, they have met with repre- eign partner, it will work to ensure that construc-
sentatives of several other companies – includ- tion begins as quickly as possible, he was quoted
ing the Dangote group (Nigeria) and Elsewedy as saying by Tanzania Daily News.
(Egypt), as well as Minjingu Mines and Fertiliser, He also noted that the government’s master
a domestic operator – to discuss the matter. plan for gas utilisation called for allocating a
Kigahe said that the Ministry of Industry certain portion of the country’s gas reserves for
and Trade had been working with several gov- fertiliser production.
ernment agencies on the project, including the Tanzania is believed to possess around 57 tril-
Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority lion cubic feet (1.614 trillion cubic metres) of gas,
(EWURA), the Petroleum Upstream Regulatory and the master plan states that 700bn cubic feet
Authority (PURA), the Tanzania Investment (19.822bn cubic metres) of gas from the offshore
Centre (TIC) and Tanzania Petroleum Develop- Songo Songo will be set aside for delivery to a
ment Corp. (TPDC). future fertiliser plant.
“The government, through the Invest- This is equivalent to about 1.23% of the coun-
ment Centre, TPDC, PURA, EWURA and the try’s estimated total reserves.™

Week 38 23•September•2021 www. NEWSBASE .com P13