Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s exports of goods and services expanded by 17.7 per cent in the year ending June 2025, reaching $16.9 billion, up from $14.4 billion a year earlier, according to the latest Bank of Tanzania’s Monthly Economic Review (MER) report.
The central bank attributed the strong performance primarily to increased gold exports, alongside robust growth in travel (tourism) and transportation services.
“Goods exports, which accounted for 57.9 per cent of total exports, rose to $9.8 billion from $7.8 billion, propelled by higher sales of gold, cashew nuts, tobacco, horticultural produce and coffee,” the MER says.
Gold exports alone increased to $3.8 billion from $3.1 billion, supported by favourable global prices and purchases by the Bank of Tanzania.
Traditional exports climbed to $1.5 billion from $1 billion, buoyed by rising volumes of cashew nuts, tobacco and coffee.
Manufactured goods also recorded significant gains, particularly in iron and steel, edible oil and fertiliser.
“Exports of cereals, chiefly maize and rice, more than tripled to $501 million from $115 million, driven by growing demand from neighbouring countries,” the report reads in part.
Receipts from services grew to $7.1 billion from $6.6 billion, largely on the back of tourism and transport sectors.
The report highlighted that travel receipts benefited from a 10 per cent increase in international tourist arrivals, which rose to 2.19 million from 1.99 million in the previous year, signalling a broad recovery in global tourism.
“Conversely, imports of goods and services increased to $17.6 billion, up from $16.1 billion in 2024,” the report says.
The BoT attributed the rise to higher imports of industrial transport equipment, raw materials, and increased freight payments.
Oil imports, representing about 17 per cent of total goods imports, declined to $2.5 billion from $2.8 billion, reflecting lower global oil prices.
On a monthly basis, goods imports reached $1.3 billion in June 2025, compared to $1 billion in the same month the previous year.
Service payments for the year amounted to $2.9 billion, up from $2.4 billion, largely due to increased freight charges. In June alone, service payments stood at $250 million, rising from $189 million a year earlier.
