Petrol prices in Tanzania rise to new highs

Dar es Salaam. As the world ushers in May by celebrating Labour Day, for Tanzanian motorists, the commemoration this year has been dented by the official release of new fuel prices by the government, which sees prices for the precious liquid rising to new highs. 

The Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (Ewura) has announced an increase in the maximum prices of petroleum products in the country, which will take effect today, Wednesday, May 1, 2024.

For May 2024, the retail prices of fuel in the Dar es Salaam Region are as follows: petrol is Sh3,314 per litre, diesel is Sh3,196, and kerosene is Sh2,840.

Ewura stated that changes in fuel prices have been influenced by an increase in the prices of refined fuel in the global market (FOB) by an average of 3.90% for petrol and a decrease by an average of 1.31% for diesel.

There has been a decrease in the importation costs (premiums) by an average of 7.21% for petrol and by an average of 2.15% for diesel at the Port of Dar es Salaam, by an average of 10.14% for petrol and by an average of 23.18% for diesel at the Port of Tanga, and by an average of 5.32% for petrol and diesel at the Port of Mtwara.

"These changes have also been influenced by fluctuations in the foreign exchange rate and the continued use of the EURO for fuel payments. Retail fuel traders are required to sell fuel at the prices shown in the table (on the swipe)."

It is worth noting that the maximum prices of petroleum products in the country for the previous month, which took effect on Wednesday, April 3, 2024, at 6:01pm, were as follows: Petrol was Sh3,257 per litre, diesel was Sh3,210, and kerosene was Sh2,840.