Tanzania: Country making use of Natural Gas Potential

Traditionally, it has been North, West, Central and Southern African countries that have been the energy and mineral giants of the continent with East African lagging far behind. The rest of the Continent's energy and mineral wealth has improved the standard of living of most of it's people very little (by and large) and has instead brought bloodshed and anguish as factions in these regions have fought over the resources. It is only now, decades after energy and mineral resources were discovered, that many of the countries in the rest of Africa are beginning to mend from resource mismanagement and war. Now East Africa is beginning to discover its own natural reserves of energy and mineral wealth. Hopefully, the troubles of the rest of Africa with mineral wealth has been a lesson to this region; Tanzania has found significant coal and natural gas reserves on its territory and already has plans to export some of its gas wealth to Kenya. This is in addition to its huge reserves in eleven key minerals which include gold, Nickel, Tanzanite, Diamonds, copper, Iron ore, coal, Limestone, soda ash, gypsum and phosphate. Whether the newly discovered Natural Gas and minerals' potential for creating wealth is fully exploited is a question that Tanzania's government and people will have to answer but they need not look far for wisdom on what not to do.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200809150569.html

http://www.ippmedia.com/ipp/observer/2008/08/31/121629.html