Fuel imports (% of merchandise imports) in Tanzania
Tanzania: Fuel imports (% of merchandise imports) was 15.0% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Fuel imports in Tanzania, 1976–2025
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise imports.
Analysis
The most recent figure for fuel imports in Tanzania is 15.0%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 24.5% on the previous year and down 70.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fuel imports in Tanzania peaked at 50.6% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 0.5%, in 1995.
Tanzania ranks 89th of 196 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 38 years of available data.
Fuel imports (% of merchandise imports) in Tanzania, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 18.6% | — |
| 1977 | 13.3% | -28.6% |
| 1978 | 11.1% | -16.6% |
| 1979 | 13.8% | +25.1% |
| 1980 | 21.0% | +51.4% |
| 1981 | 30.8% | +46.8% |
| 1987 | 44.3% | +44.0% |
| 1995 | 0.5% | -98.8% |
| 1996 | 7.6% | +1313.9% |
| 1997 | 13.7% | +80.0% |
| 1998 | 8.9% | -35.0% |
| 1999 | 8.0% | -10.3% |
| 2000 | 13.2% | +65.0% |
| 2001 | 12.9% | -2.0% |
| 2002 | 11.7% | -9.6% |
| 2003 | 19.0% | +62.5% |
| 2004 | 16.5% | -13.1% |
| 2005 | 22.3% | +35.1% |
| 2006 | 24.0% | +7.8% |
| 2007 | 29.9% | +24.5% |
| 2008 | 29.4% | -1.5% |
| 2009 | 22.6% | -23.1% |
| 2010 | 27.6% | +21.9% |
| 2011 | 32.1% | +16.4% |
| 2012 | 32.6% | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 38.7% | +18.7% |
| 2014 | 28.0% | -27.6% |
| 2015 | 50.6% | +80.5% |
| 2016 | 18.1% | -64.2% |
| 2017 | 19.7% | +8.6% |
| 2018 | 20.8% | +5.8% |
| 2019 | 21.0% | +1.1% |
| 2020 | 16.2% | -23.0% |
| 2021 | 20.6% | +27.3% |
| 2022 | 24.9% | +20.4% |
| 2023 | 21.6% | -12.9% |
| 2024 | 19.9% | -8.2% |
| 2025 | 15.0% | -24.5% |
Tanzania compared with similar countries
- Tanzania's 15.0% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 17.8%, 84% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Tanzania's 15.0% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 18.8%, 80% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Fuel imports (% of merchandise imports) in Tanzania changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | +1313.9% | 0.5% | 7.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 14.2% | 11.1% | 18.6% | 4 |
| 1980s | 32.0% | 21.0% | 44.3% | 3 |
| 1990s | 7.7% | 0.5% | 13.7% | 5 |
| 2000s | 20.1% | 11.7% | 29.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 28.9% | 18.1% | 50.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.7% | 15.0% | 24.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Tanzania
More energy & mining data for Tanzania
- Primary energy from fossil nuclear renewables, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Ores and metals imports 1.9% (2025)
- Fuel exports 1.3% (2025)
- Ores and metals exports 5.5% (2025)
- Gas production 21.59 terawatt-hours (2024)
- Fossil fuel production per person, by fuel 314.84 kilowatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel 21.59 terawatt-hours (2024)
- Gas production per person 314.84 kilowatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fuel imports in Tanzania?
- Fuel imports in Tanzania was 15.0% in 2025, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest fuel imports recorded in Tanzania?
- The highest recorded value was 50.6% in 2015.
- What is the lowest fuel imports recorded in Tanzania?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.5% in 1995.
- How does Tanzania rank for fuel imports?
- Tanzania ranks 89th out of 196 countries with data for 2025.
- Is fuel imports rising or falling in Tanzania?
- Over the last ten years it is down 70.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Tanzania data come from?
- The figures come from Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division, published as part of Fuel imports (% of merchandise imports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Fuels comprise the commodities in SITC (Rev. 3) section 3 (mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials). This indicator is expressed as a percentage of merchandise imports which is comprised of goods whose economic ownership is changed between a non-resident and a resident and that are not included in the following specific categories: goods under merchanting, non-monetary gold, and parts of travel, construction, and government goods and services n.i.e.