Tanzania: Fuel prices fall for second consecutive month

Motorists and businesses will see further relief at the pump this month after the Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (EWURA) announced a second consecutive monthly reduction in fuel prices.

EWURA has cut the price of petrol by 102 Tanzanian shillings (TZS) per litre and diesel by 101 TZS for September, with kerosene falling by 290 TZS in Dar es Salaam. The cuts follow August's reductions of 92 TZS on petrol, 204 TZS on diesel and 440 TZS on kerosene, and reflect movements in global oil prices at the time the fuel was ordered.

The retail prices for September 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, with the throttling of the Strait of Hormuz forcing importers to secure supply from alternative geographies at a premium.

Global prices have since begun to ease, although the picture remains uneven. The average price of a barrel of Brent crude climbed to $107.14 in May before falling to $85.40 in June and $83.76 in July. Prices rebounded to an average of $91.15 in August, an 8.8% rise on July, but remain around 15% below the May peak. EWURA has cautioned that international prices continue to be volatile while the conflict in the Middle East persists.

Despite this volatility, fuel supply in Tanzania has experienced minimal disruption, with the country having quickly formed a joint task force of the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC), the Petroleum Bulk Procurement Agency (PBPA) and EWURA to first guarantee fuel supply and then ensure that reductions in global prices are passed on to consumers. September’s cuts, calculated under the EWURA Petroleum Products Pricing Regulations and the 2024 Bulk Procurement System Regulations, are the latest evidence of that approach delivering at the pump.

The regulator has also moved to strengthen consumer protection alongside the price cuts. Oil marketing companies remain free to sell below the published cap, and EWURA has urged customers to buy from stations offering lower prices where they have a choice, in order to promote competition. All fuel stations are required to clearly display current prices, discounts and other incentives, with the regulator warning that failure to do so is an offence that will attract penalties.

At the time of publication, petrol and diesel prices for Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda are as follows (using Kenyan shillings as the benchmark):

Compared to its neighbours, Tanzania enjoys the cheapest prices at the pump by some margin – around 15% less than Kenyans, 20% less than Ugandans, and 35-40% less than Rwandans.