Tanzania Fuel Prices Rise, Petrol Hits US$1.53 a Litre
TANZANIA · ENERGY
Key Facts
- —The country Tanzania is an East African nation of more than 60 million people on the Indian Ocean, home to Mount Kilimanjaro, the Serengeti and Zanzibar.
- —What happened The energy regulator EWURA raised its maximum pump prices for petrol, diesel and kerosene from 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday 7 October.
- —The numbers In Dar es Salaam, petrol now costs up to TSh 4,057 (about US$1.53) a litre, up TSh 261 (about US$0.10) from September.
- —Why it happened EWURA blames renewed Middle East tensions, which disrupted oil supply and shipping and drove up world prices of refined fuel in September.
- —A year ago Dar es Salaam petrol cost TSh 2,752 (about US$1.04 at the 7 October rate) in October 2025, so it is now about 47% dearer.
- —What it means for US readers Safari transfers, freight and everyday goods can get dearer, and a bigger fuel import bill can weigh on the Tanzanian shilling.
- —Still open Whether the government will cushion prices again, as it did with a diesel subsidy in May and June, has not been announced.
Tanzania fuel prices rose on Wednesday 7 October, when new caps lifted petrol in Dar es Salaam to TSh 4,057 (about US$1.53) a litre. For Americans, the move shows how Middle East tensions are reaching pump prices, freight costs and safari budgets in East Africa.
The Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (EWURA), the state regulator for fuel, electricity, natural gas and water, published the caps on Tuesday 6 October. News site Global Publishers reported it on Wednesday under a Swahili headline meaning “EWURA announces new fuel prices, petrol in Dar goes up”.
What the New Fuel Caps Say
The new caps, in force from 12:01 a.m. local time on Wednesday 7 October, set Tanzania fuel prices across the mainland. Zanzibar, the semi-autonomous island region, sets its own fuel prices.
In Dar es Salaam, the largest city, diesel is capped at TSh 4,086 (about US$1.54) a litre and kerosene at TSh 4,067 (about US$1.54). All conversions use about 2,646 shillings to the US dollar on 7 October 2026.
Compared with September, petrol rose by TSh 261 (about US$0.10) and diesel by TSh 209 (about US$0.08). Kerosene saw the steepest rise, TSh 354 (about US$0.13) or about 9.5%.
At the port of Tanga, petrol costs TSh 4,123 (about US$1.56), diesel TSh 4,152 (about US$1.57) and kerosene TSh 4,133 (about US$1.56). In the southern port of Mtwara, the caps are TSh 4,170 (about US$1.58), TSh 4,199 (about US$1.59) and TSh 4,180 (about US$1.58).
For comparison with American pumps, the Dar es Salaam petrol cap works out at about US$5.80 a gallon.
Why Prices Went Up Again
EWURA linked the rise in Tanzania fuel prices to renewed tensions in the Middle East, where the country sources most of its petroleum products. Those tensions kept disrupting oil production, supply and shipping in September, and world prices of refined fuel rose sharply.
In September, petrol had fallen by TSh 102 (about US$0.04) and diesel by TSh 101 (about US$0.04). EWURA credited that cut to government efforts to keep fuel affordable.
Dar es Salaam petrol now costs about 47% more than in October 2025. The cap then was TSh 2,752 (about US$1.04 at current exchange rates).
Diesel, the fuel of most trucks and buses, is about 51% dearer than in October 2025. It then cost TSh 2,704 (about US$1.02 at current exchange rates).
The new caps still sit below this year’s peaks. In May, Dar es Salaam petrol was capped at TSh 4,115 (about US$1.56), and diesel reached TSh 4,333 (about US$1.64) in June.
EWURA blamed those earlier highs on the conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran, which began on 28 February 2026. The government then subsidised diesel by TSh 259 (about US$0.10) a litre in May and TSh 534.91 (about US$0.20) in June.
EWURA said the government is watching world markets closely and will take measures to secure supply and keep prices affordable.
How Tanzania Sets Its Fuel Prices
EWURA, based in the capital Dodoma, publishes new caps every month, so Tanzania fuel prices can change monthly. Its director general, Salum N. Mnuna, signed the October notice.
Retailers may sell below the cap but never above it, and not below a floor price set under EWURA’s price-setting rules. Stations must post prices on visible boards and issue receipts from electronic fiscal pump printers.
The regulator sets wholesale prices for the ports of Dar es Salaam, Tanga and Mtwara, then retail caps that rise with distance inland. The October notice lists caps for 190 towns and districts.
Drivers can check the cap for their town free of charge by dialling *152*00# on any mobile network. EWURA says receipts can serve as evidence if a station overcharges or sells substandard fuel.
Prices Upcountry and on the Safari Circuit
Dar es Salaam has the lowest caps in the country. The highest are in Kyerwa, in the north-western Kagera region, where petrol costs TSh 4,370 (about US$1.65) and diesel TSh 4,399 (about US$1.66).
Arusha is the gateway town for safaris to the Serengeti and Ngorongoro. There, petrol is capped at TSh 4,186 (about US$1.58) and diesel at TSh 4,215 (about US$1.59).
Diesel costs TSh 4,234 (about US$1.60) in Karatu, near the Ngorongoro Crater, and TSh 4,338 (about US$1.64) in Mugumu, the Serengeti district town. In Moshi, the usual starting point for Kilimanjaro climbs, diesel is TSh 4,200 (about US$1.59).
Most towns saw the same petrol rise as Dar es Salaam, TSh 261 (about US$0.10). In the Tanga and Morogoro regions, the increase was slightly smaller, at TSh 251 (about US$0.09).
What It Means for US Readers
For American travellers, dearer diesel raises the cost of long road transfers and game drives on Tanzania’s northern safari circuit. Operators may pass part of that on in quotes for coming seasons.
For investors, Tanzania fuel prices matter because fuel is a major import that feeds into transport and food costs. A bigger fuel bill can add pressure on the Tanzanian shilling and on inflation.
Dar es Salaam’s port also serves landlocked neighbours such as Zambia, Rwanda and Burundi. Higher fuel costs tend to feed into freight rates along those trade routes.
Kenya, Tanzania’s northern neighbour, also caps pump prices every month; here is how Kenya’s fuel prices are built. For background on Tanzania’s politics and economy, see the Rio Times guide Tanzania Explained.
What Is Not Known
EWURA has not said what measures the government may take if world prices keep rising. Its notice also gives no figure for the September jump in world fuel prices behind the new caps.
Whether bus fares will follow is not yet known. Fares are regulated by the Land Transport Regulatory Authority (LATRA), a separate state regulator.
The next caps are due in early November. How long the Middle East tensions last will decide whether Tanzania fuel prices rise again.
More: Tanzania news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does petrol cost in Tanzania now?
Under the October Tanzania fuel prices, the Dar es Salaam cap is TSh 4,057 (about US$1.53) a litre from 7 October 2026. Upcountry it is higher, up to TSh 4,370 (about US$1.65) in Kyerwa, in north-western Tanzania.
Why did Tanzania fuel prices rise in October?
EWURA cited renewed Middle East tensions, which hit oil production, supply and shipping. That pushed up world prices of refined fuel in September, which feed into the monthly caps.
Who sets fuel prices in Tanzania?
EWURA, the Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority, sets Tanzania fuel prices as monthly caps for the mainland. Stations may sell below the cap but not above it, and Zanzibar sets its own prices.
Will safari trips in Tanzania cost more?
Higher Tanzania fuel prices raise operators’ running costs, especially on long road transfers. Whether that shows up in tour prices depends on each operator.
How can drivers check the official fuel price?
Dialling *152*00# on any Tanzanian mobile network shows the cap free of charge. Stations must also post prices on visible boards and issue electronic receipts.
Sources: EWURA, Public Notice on Cap Prices for Petroleum Products Effective Wednesday 7 October 2026, 6 October 2026; EWURA, EWURA Publishes October 2026 Caps for the Petroleum Products, 6 October 2026; Global Publishers, EWURA Yatangaza Bei Mpya za Mafuta, Petroli Dar Yapanda, 7 October 2026; EWURA, Cap Prices for Petroleum Products, September 2026, September 2026; EWURA, Cap Prices for Petroleum Products, May 2026, May 2026; EWURA, Cap Prices for Petroleum Products, June 2026, June 2026; EWURA, Cap Prices for Petroleum Products, October 2025, October 2025.
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