The Zanzibar Utilities Regulatory Authority (ZURA) announced on Saturday, November 8, 2025, that prices for most petroleum products have been adjusted upwards. The increase is a direct response to rising global import costs, according to a statement issued by ZURA Director General Omar Ali Yussuf. The key changes see the price of petrol jump by Sh59, rising from Sh2,809 to Sh2,868 per litre, while diesel increases by Sh60 to Sh3,004 per litre. The price of aviation fuel has also risen, moving from Sh2,343 to Sh2,405 per litre. Only kerosene remains unchanged at Sh3,000 per litre. ZURA explicitly attributed the November fuel price hike to the escalating cost of petroleum products on the international market.
The fuel price adjustments come as the Zanzibar Ports Corporation (ZPC) takes action to mitigate another cost-of-living pressure. The ZPC announced an 80 per cent reduction in wharfage charges for all food items imported through its managed ports. This measure, clarified ZPC Director General Akif Ali Khamis in a separate statement on Friday, November 7, is specifically aimed at stabilising food prices that were disrupted following unrest during the election period on October 29, 2025. The incident had caused a nearly five-day halt to transport to and from Zanzibar, severely disrupting the supply of essential goods, most of which are sourced from mainland Tanzania. Khamis confirmed the reduction applies only to food imported from the Tanzanian mainland, though the corporation had previously offered a 100 per cent waiver on storage fees for goods imported from abroad during the docking disruption.
Despite the relief on food import charges, the simultaneous rise in fuel prices is a significant concern for many residents, given the powerful influence of fuel costs on transport and, consequently, the price of all commodities. Mr. Juma Mtumwa Juma, a resident of Magogoni, Zanzibar, voiced his worry: “This is worrying news because once fuel prices go up, everything else follows. Even now, prices of other goods are already high.” Another resident, Mr. Alkadir Mahmoud, urged the government to adopt a more proactive strategy, suggesting the maintenance of a larger national fuel reserve. “We can’t keep relying on monthly imports. The lack of reserves exposes ordinary citizens to unnecessary hardship,” he commented, advocating for a buffer against such frequent price fluctuations.
