Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Energy, Dr. Doto Biteko, has urged East African nations to take practical steps in promoting clean cooking and natural gas. He emphasized that these solutions could significantly cut carbon emissions while also supporting economic growth.

Speaking in Dar es Salaam during the pre-conference workshop ahead of the 11th East African Petroleum Conference and Exhibition 2025 (EAPCE’25), Dr. Biteko highlighted the benefits of using natural gas over traditional fossil fuels.

“By using natural gas, which is cleaner than petrol and diesel, we will not only lead the energy transition but also promote cost savings. Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) users can save approximately 40 to 50 per cent in fuel costs compared to fossil fuels for the same distance,” Dr. Biteko said.

He explained that natural gas could help reduce dependency on imported fuel, improving foreign currency reserves. He also warned about the ongoing climate crisis, pointing out that extreme weather events and biodiversity loss are primarily caused by carbon emissions from biomass fuel.

Dr. Biteko referenced a 2023 International Energy Agency report, which states that 81% of households in sub-Saharan Africa still depend on traditional energy sources like firewood. This reliance significantly contributes to deforestation.

Despite global initiatives such as the Paris Agreement, many countries continue to struggle with energy challenges. However, Dr. Biteko praised African countries, including Tanzania, for integrating climate change mitigation strategies into their policies and laws. These regulations focus on green economies, reducing carbon emissions, and promoting sustainable development.

Tanzania, under President Samia Suluhu Hassan, has taken major steps to address climate change. Dr. Biteko highlighted that the country co-chaired the Paris summit on clean cooking in Africa in 2024, where 26 governments pledged to promote green cooking by endorsing the High-Level Clean Cooking Declaration.

Domestically, Tanzania launched the Clean Cooking Energy Strategy in May 2024, aiming to increase clean cooking access from the current 10% to 80% by 2034.Regionally, the East African Community (EAC) has implemented climate policies and regulations to support climate mitigation.

In January 2025, member states, including Tanzania, adopted the National Energy Compact during the Africa Energy Summit. Under this plan, Tanzania aims to connect 8.3 million households to electricity by 2030.

Kenya has introduced the Energy Transition and Investment Plan, Uganda has adopted an Energy Transition Plan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has also embraced the Energy Compact. Together, these efforts pave the way for a cleaner energy future in the region.

Dr. Biteko emphasized the need for East African nations to expand the use of natural gas in transportation. He noted that Tanzania has encouraged private sector investment in Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) infrastructure, including setting up conversion workshops.

Tanzania’s transition to CNG began in 2009 with a pilot project. Since then, a mother station has been developed, and six CNG filling stations have been built in Dar es Salaam. Another eight stations are currently under construction. The country now has 12 workshops that install CNG systems.

On the consumer side, Ms. Florah Mwankali, a representative from the Tanzania Online Driver Association, urged the government to lower vehicle conversion fees from 2 million Tanzanian shillings to 1.5 million and reduce inspection fees from 50,000 to 20,000. She highlighted the economic benefits of CNG, stating that her gas-powered taxi costs only 14,000 Tanzanian shillings to travel 200 kilometers, compared to just 40 kilometers on petrol for the same amount.

EAC’s Deputy Secretary General for Infrastructure, Productive, Social, and Political Sectors, Mr. Andrea Aguer, encouraged investors and development partners to explore the many opportunities available in East Africa’s energy transition.

With a regional market of over 300 million people, he believes that significant developments in the petroleum sector will follow after the conference.

The pre-conference workshop brought together energy sector delegates from Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Somalia, and Tanzania to discuss strategies for a fair energy transition in East Africa.

While East African nations contribute only a small percentage of global CO2 emissions due to lower industrialization and fossil fuel consumption, they are highly vulnerable to climate change effects. Issues such as droughts, floods, rising sea levels, and changes in agricultural productivity pose significant threats to the region, making the transition to cleaner energy sources even more urgent.