Josephine Christopher is a senior business journalist for The Citizen and Mwananchi newspapers
Mwananchi Communications Limitted
What you need to know:
Effective March 4, the retail price of petrol in Dar es Salaam rose to Sh2,864 per litre from Sh2,788 in February, an increase of Sh76
Dar es Salaam. The Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (Ewura) has announced new fuel cap prices for March, pushing pump prices higher across the three coastal ports, with diesel registering the sharpest monthly increase and narrowing the long-standing gap with petrol.
Effective March 4, the retail price of petrol in Dar es Salaam rose to Sh2,864 per litre from Sh2,788 in February, an increase of Sh76.
Diesel climbed more steeply, increasing by Sh157 to Sh2,858 per litre from Sh2,701, while kerosene increased by Sh186 to Sh2,932 from Sh2,746.
In Tanga, petrol edged up by Sh76 to Sh2,925 per litre in March from Sh2,849 in February. Diesel rose by Sh157 to Sh2,919 from Sh2,762, while kerosene jumped by Sh186 to Sh2,993 from Sh2,807.
Mtwara recorded a similar trend. Petrol increased by Sh75 to Sh2,956 per litre from Sh2,881. Diesel rose by Sh157 to Sh2,951 from Sh2,794, and kerosene climbed by Sh187 to Sh3,025 from Sh2,838.
The March adjustments reflect a consistent upward movement across all ports, with diesel and kerosene registering roughly double the increases recorded for petrol.
In its pricing statement, Ewura said Free on Board (FOB) reference prices in the Arab Gulf market increased by 6.2 percent for petrol, 9.8 percent for diesel and 7.4 percent for kerosene in March.
Premium trends further amplified the rise in diesel prices. Products received through the Port of Dar es Salaam recorded an average premium increase of 0.07 percent for petrol and 10.76 percent for diesel, while kerosene premiums declined by 5.41 percent. There were no changes in premiums at the ports of Tanga and Mtwara.
Ewura noted that exchange rate movements added further pressure. As FOB prices and premiums are quoted in major foreign currencies, including the US dollar, the applicable exchange rate for March rose by 8.54 percent.
Despite the ongoing war in the Middle East — a factor closely monitored in global oil markets — the regulator said the country currently has adequate petroleum stocks to sustain social and economic activities.
Ewura also cautioned retailers and wholesalers to comply strictly with the new cap prices, warning that legal action will be taken against any operator who fails to adhere to the approved pricing structure.
