Tanzania is seeking to deepen cooperation with Algeria’s state-owned energy giant Sonatrach , with a focus on securing training and skills development opportunities for Tanzanian professionals in the oil and gas sector.

This was said by Tanzania’s Ambassador to Algeria, Iman Njalikai, during talks with Sonatrach chairman and chief executive officer, Rachid Hachichi, held in Algiers on September.7. The discussions, which brought together senior executives from Sonatrach and a Tanzanian delegation that included top officials from the Petroleum Upstream Regulatory Authority, focused on deepening collaboration in oil and natural gas development between the two nations.

Ambassador Iman said that while Tanzania and Algeria have a history of close ties across different sectors, the engagement marked the first time the Petroleum Upstream Regulatory Authority, had been directly involved in such high-level dialogue. 
He acknowledged the corporation’s  existing cooperation with the Tanzania's counterparts which is guided by a Memorandum of Understanding, and expressed appreciation for the support received so far.

“We are grateful to Sonatrach for continuing to open its doors to Tanzania, and we have already seen tangible results from this partnership,” Ambassador Iman said. He added, however, that Tanzania remains in the process of building the technical expertise of its specialists, and urged the Algerian firm to broaden opportunities for training and knowledge transfer.

The Ambassador also extended an invitation to firm to explore direct investment in Tanzania’s oil and gas sector. He highlighted upcoming opportunities in exploration blocks that will be made available once the government launches its next licensing round.

In response, Hachichi reaffirmed Sonatrach’s commitment to strengthening ties with Tanzania. He said the firm stood ready to support skills development for Tanzanian professionals and to work closely with national institutions in advancing oil and gas cooperation.

The discussions in Algiers are expected to pave the way for more structured collaboration between the two countries, particularly in developing the human capital needed to unlock Tanzania’s natural resource potential.