Dar es Salaam

The Minister of Energy, Hon. Deogratius John Ndejembi, has instructed the Petroleum Bulk Procurement Agency (PBPA) to ensure that all major fuel storage and distribution depots receive fuel on time, in order to improve its availability across the country.

This was stated today, March 26, 2026, in Dar es Salaam during a meeting with leaders from PBPA, the Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (EWURA), and the Tanzania International Petroleum Reserves Limited (TIPER), aimed at discussing the status of fuel imports into the country.

Speaking at the meeting, Hon. Ndejembi directed PBPA to establish a strong scheduling system for fuel offloading (sequencing) to ensure that all major distribution depots receive fuel fairly and on time.

He said this step will help reduce fuel availability challenges in various parts of the country.

Additionally, he explained that the Government has agreed to speed up the offloading of fuel ships arriving in the country, especially those intended for domestic use, to ensure a reliable and secure fuel supply.

He added that the Government has held discussions with Tanzania International Petroleum Reserves Limited (TIPER) and directed the establishment of an effective system for planning fuel offloading so that all distributors are served fairly.

Minister Ndejembi also urged Tanzanians not to panic about fuel availability, emphasizing that the country has sufficient reserves.

Furthermore, Hon. Ndejembi instructed EWURA to ensure that all fuel leaving storage depots reaches the intended users and is used appropriately, while fuel stations are encouraged to sell products according to actual market demand.

The meeting was also attended by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Energy responsible for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Dr. James Mataragio; PBPA Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Erasto Simon; EWURA Director General, Dr. James Andilile; TIPER Managing Director, Mr. Mohamed Mohamed; along with various experts from the petroleum sector.