According to the Bank of Tanzania (BOT) Monthly Economic Review-February 2023, coal worth USD 195.5 million was exported during the year-ending January 2023.
This represents an increase of +780% compared to USD 22.2 million worth of coal exports in the year ending January 2022.
The central bank links the increases to heightened demand for alternative energy sources following disruptions in the supply chain stemming from the war in Ukraine.
Much of the coal was destined for the regional markets, namely Kenya, The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Rwanda, and Uganda, as well as Poland, Hong Kong, India, and Senegal.
Tanzania Coal
Tanzania’s coal reserves are estimated at 1.9 billion tonnes, 25% of which are proven. Tanzania’s coal production reached 712,136 tonnes in 2019, compared to 257,321 tonnes in 2015 (+177%).
The 2015 National Energy Policy of Tanzania indicates that according to geological information, the country’s coal reserves potential could be 5 billion tonnes.
