Rwanda Says New Kenya and Tanzania Deals Will Strengthen Regional Fuel Trade

KIGALI, Rwanda, July 7, 2026 - Rwanda expects recently signed petroleum cooperation agreements with Kenya and Tanzania to strengthen fuel supply security and position the country as a regional trading hub for petroleum products, Trade and Industry Minister Antoine Marie Kajangwe has said. The minister said the agreements will enable Rwanda to import petroleum products through the ports of Mombasa in Kenya and Tanga in Tanzania under government-backed arrangements designed to improve storage, transportation, and supply chain efficiency. The agreement with Kenya, signed on June 29, establishes a government-to-government framework for importing fuel through the Port of Mombasa, providing Rwanda with access to storage facilities, pipeline infrastructure, and transport services. A separate agreement with Tanzania allows the importation of petrol and diesel through the Port of Tanga under a partnership involving the Rwanda National Energy Corporation (RNEC) and Gulf Bulk Petroleum Tanzania Limited. Kajangwe said the new arrangements are expected to improve the reliability of Rwanda's fuel imports, reduce logistical bottlenecks, and create opportunities for the country to supply petroleum products to neighboring markets. The agreements come as Rwanda and other countries continue to face pressure from rising global fuel prices. As a landlocked country, Rwanda relies entirely on overland imports of petroleum products, with the ports of Mombasa and Dar es Salaam serving as its principal gateways for fuel supplies.