The car fuel revolution is gaining momentum in Tanzania, but a lack of filling stations means it’s stuck in second gear.
Like Nigeria and some other countries on the continent, Tanzania is starting to use compressed natural gas (CNG) as an alternative to petrol and diesel.
It is considered cleaner and better for the environment than fossil fuels, but its relative cheapness is the biggest draw for the roughly 5,000 motorists in the East African state who have embraced the change – especially commercial drivers.
That’s a small proportion of Tanzania’s cars, but LNG early adopters are paving the way for wider acceptance of LNG – the government reportedly wants near-total adoption by mid-century.
Tanzania has large reserves of gas under the sea, and for those refueling, LNG can cost less than half the petrol equivalent.
The potential savings were enough to convince taxi owner Samuel Amos Irube to part with about 1.5 million Tanzanian shillings ($620; £495) to convert his three-wheeled vehicle, known locally as a bajaji, to CNG.
But now that he has to get gas twice a day, he often spends more time waiting at gas stations in the largest city of Dar es Salaam than he does making money.
There are only four places where he can refuel in the commercial center of Tanzania.
Quietly frustrated, he says he has to wait at least three hours every time he wants to fill up, but the savings are worth it as he only spends 40% of what he would have spent on an equivalent amount of petrol.
Slow-moving queues of vehicles at the Ubungo CNG station snake down the road. It’s fine – there are three distinct lines, one for cars and two for Bajaj – but the irritation is palpable.
Medadi Kichunga Ngoma, who has been in line for two hours, looks at the cars ahead as he waits outside his silver pickup truck.
