Tanzania: Fuel prices drop, offering relief for consumers

Tanzanian consumers and businesses will be buoyed by the reduction in fuel prices announced on Wednesday by the Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (EWURA).

Newly appointed EWURA Director-General Salum Mnuna announced that petrol prices have been cut by 92 Tanzanian shillings (TZS) per litre, diesel by 204 TZS, and kerosene by 440 TZS, compared to July.

The retail prices for August per litre are as follows:

2026 has been a difficult year for East Africa in terms of fuel supply and pricing. Market shocks caused by the USA-Iran conflict that began in February have placed considerable strain on a region that imports the bulk of its fuel. The primary challenge for countries navigating the crisis has been guaranteeing supply first, to protect economies and basic service delivery, and then ensuring that the price increases caused by the throttling of the Strait of Hormuz and the need to source fuel from alternative geographies can be mitigated.

Tanzania has managed to navigate the crisis with minimal disruption,  having quickly formed a joint task force comprising the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC), the Petroleum Bulk Procurement Agency (PBPA), and the energy regulator, EWURA, to first guarantee fuel supply and then work to ensure that the beginnings of a global oil price reduction are reflected at the pump.

As a result, Tanzanians are now enjoying favourable pricing compared with their neighbours in the region. Just last month, petrol prices in Uganda rose by 29% while those in Tanzania fell. At the time of publication, petrol and diesel prices for Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda are as follows (using Kenyan shillings as the benchmark):

The decreases in Tanzania will help reduce transport, operating, and manufacturing costs for businesses, while families will welcome the relief on cost of living.

Sources at the TPDC indicate that the fuel supply task team is continually evaluating the best options for Tanzania in respect of guaranteed fuel supply and pricing, with the hope of providing further relief for businesses and consumers in the coming months.