Tanzania – Uganda Trade Mission

Monday 29th December 2025

By inAfrika Newsroom

Tanzania Uganda trade 2025 data now confirms a clear realignment in East Africa’s import patterns, with Dar es Salaam consolidating its lead as Kampala’s main African supplier. New central bank figures show Uganda imported about USD 2.2 billion worth of goods from Tanzania in the year to June 2025, almost double the value of imports from Kenya.

The shift has been building for three years. Tanzania’s exports to Uganda jumped from USD 475.9 million in the year to June 2023 to USD 1.81 billion in 2024, before rising again in 2025. Over the same period, Kenya’s exports grew only marginally, narrowing its role in Uganda’s market.

Most of the trade is in gold, fuel, construction materials and food. Uganda’s private sector also credits improved reliability on the Central Corridor, including ports on Lake Victoria and the Dar es Salaam port, for lowering logistics costs into Kampala and eastern DR Congo.

Regionally, the trend fits a wider surge in intra-EAC trade. The East African Community Secretariat reported that total trade among partner states reached USD 38.2 billion in the second quarter of 2025, with exports up more than 40 percent year-on-year.

However, Kenyan manufacturers warn that the shift could deepen capacity under-use at home if Nairobi does not move faster on trade facilitation and industrial support. A fresh study there estimates Kenya is losing up to KSh 684 billion in untapped export earnings to regional and global markets.

Next steps for Tanzania Uganda trade 2025

Officials in Kampala and Dodoma are now pushing structured trade missions and new logistics investments. Uganda’s Foreign Affairs Ministry says a 2025 Uganda–Tanzania trade mission aims to close gaps in standards, payments and rail connectivity, while also tackling the growing trade imbalance.

Meanwhile, Tanzanian agencies are prioritising export finance, more bulk cargo capacity on the Central Corridor and faster border clearance at Mutukula. Business groups on both sides say they want predictable rules more than new incentives.

Why it matters

The Tanzania Uganda trade 2025 picture signals where regional supply chains are heading. Kampala’s demand is crucial for East African factories, and shifts in that demand can redirect investment, jobs and infrastructure.

For Tanzania, the numbers strengthen the case for deeper port and rail upgrades. For Kenya, they are a warning that past advantages are no longer guaranteed. For the wider EAC, the trend underlines how policy choices on logistics and standards can quickly redraw trade maps.