DAR ES SALAAM, Oct. 28 -- THE Tanzanian government has said the issuance of four natural gas exploration licences to the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) will strengthen the corporations capacity to manage and develop oil and gas resources, improve energy availability and drive industrial development in the country.

Speaking at the signing ceremony for the licences in Dar es Salaam, Vice-President Deogratius Ndejembi said the move aims to enable TPDC to participate fully across the oil and gas value chain, rather than relying largely on a minority partner role in exploration and production projects.

Ndejembi explained that Tanzania began oil exploration in the 1970s, but subsequent exploration activities in the Mnazi Ba...