Civil society organisations challenge proposed $20 billion Tanga refinery deal over environmental concerns

Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have mounted resistance against the recently signed $20 billion Tanga refinery project, citing significant environmental and ecosystem risks. The move comes less than a month after Tanzania and Uganda signed the deal with multinational energy trader Vitol.

Activists and environmental groups are now questioning the safeguards surrounding the mega-infrastructure venture, raising concerns over its potential impacts on surrounding coastal marine life and nearby local ecosystems.

The pushback reflects similar opposition encountered during the development of the $5.65 billion East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project.

The cross-border oil pipeline project, undertaken by Uganda, Tanzania, and French energy giant TotalEnergies, faced sustained pressure from regional and international advocacy groups over ecological and community displacement risks.

Despite the early legal and public relations hurdles raised by non-governmental groups, neither the host governments nor Vitol have formally issued public responses regarding the specific environmental claims.

The newly proposed Tanga refinery is intended to process crude oil and serve broader East African regional energy demands.

However, the immediate emergence of organized civil society opposition indicates that environmental compliance, regulatory approvals, and community engagement will remain central issues as project partners attempt to advance early development work on the multibillion-dollar facility.