Tanzania earns $3bn more from exports as manufactured goods top $2bn

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania earned nearly $3 billion more from exports of goods and services in the year ending May 2026, with manufactured goods exports surpassing the $2 billion mark for the first time.

This underscores the country's expanding industrial capacity alongside strong gains in gold and tourism.

According to the latest Bank of Tanzania (BoT) Monthly Economic Review (MER), exports of goods and services increased by 17.8 percent to $19.68 billion in the year ending May 2026, up from $16.71 billion recorded during the corresponding period in 2025.

The report attributes the strong performance to robust growth in gold exports, travel receipts and manufactured goods, which together accounted for 60.8 percent of the country's total export earnings.

"Exports of goods rose by 20.4 percent to $11,627.9 million in the year ending May 2026, compared with $9,654.7 million in the corresponding period in 2025, mainly driven by strong performance in gold, manufactured goods, tobacco, and coffee," the report states. 

Gold exports increased by 46.7 percent to $5.53 billion from $3.77 billion, supported by favourable international prices and higher domestic production.

Manufactured goods exports climbed by 38.3 percent to $2.01 billion, up from $1.45 billion, driven largely by strong demand from neighbouring countries for iron and steel products as well as glassware.

Traditional exports also recorded solid growth, increasing by 12.8 percent to $1.64 billion from $1.45 billion.

The improvement was driven by tobacco, coffee and cotton exports.

Tobacco exports benefited mainly from higher export volumes, while coffee earnings were supported by favourable prices.

Cotton exports gained from both higher prices and increased volumes.

On a monthly basis, goods exports rose by 75 percent to $963.3 million in May 2026, compared with $550.4 million in May 2025, mainly due to increased exports of gold and manufactured goods.

Tourism earns $4.4bn

Service receipts increased by 14.2 percent to $8.05 billion from $7.05 billion during the period under review, supported by stronger performance in travel and transport services.

Travel receipts rose by 9.5 percent to $4.42 billion, in line with a 5.9 percent increase in international tourist arrivals to 2.30 million visitors.

Transport service receipts increased by 16 percent to $3.15 billion, reflecting higher freight earnings from transit cargo and reinforcing Tanzania's position as a regional trade and logistics hub.

Meanwhile, monthly service receipts remained broadly unchanged at $647.5 million in May 2026 compared with the same month a year earlier.