Tanzania has overtaken China to become the leading source of imports for Uganda, marking a major shift in regional trade dynamics, driven primarily by a sharp increase in imports of gold and precious minerals.
This trend reflects changing trade dynamics in East Africa, with Tanzania strengthening its position as a key supplier to Uganda’s economy.
According to the Ugandan Revenue Authority’s (URA) statistical directory for the 2024/25 financial year, published in March, Uganda imported goods worth 56.8 trillion UGX during the financial year ending June 2025. Of this total, Tanzania accounted for 12.46 trillion UGX, or 21.94% of all imports, allowing it to overtake China, India, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Kenya.
This marks a significant transformation, as just four years ago Tanzania was lagging behind these traditional trading partners. The data shows that imports from Tanzania rose from 1.12 trillion UGX in June 2022 to 12.46 trillion UGX by June 2025 – a growth rate of about 1,017% in four years. In comparison, imports from China increased by 69% (from 6.45 trillion UGX to 10.92 trillion UGX), while imports from Kenya grew by 76% (from 2.49 trillion UGX to 4.39 trillion UGX).
Adam Mugume, Research Director at the Bank of Uganda, attributed the sharp increase in imports from Tanzania mainly to gold and precious minerals. He noted that while other Tanzanian commodities, such as rice, account for an estimated $100–150 million, the bulk of the 12.46 trillion UGX is in gold. URA data shows that imports of precious minerals and jewellery rose from 4.22 billion UGX in 2021/22 to 16.65 trillion UGX in 2025 – this category alone accounted for almost 29% of all Ugandan imports in the 2024/25 financial year.
An interesting paradox emerges: while Uganda imported 16.65 trillion shillings worth of precious minerals, it also exported 15.82 trillion shillings worth of similar goods during the same period. This underscores Uganda’s growing role as a regional gold processing hub, with raw materials coming from neighbouring countries such as Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and then re-exported.
Kenya, historically a major trading partner, is losing ground to Tanzania. In 2021/22, Uganda imported twice as many goods from Kenya as from Tanzania. By June 2025, Tanzania’s exports to Uganda were almost three times the value of Kenya’s. Imports from the DRC also increased significantly, rising from 44.6 billion UGX in 2022 to 2.18 trillion UGX by 2025.
Overall, Africa is fast becoming Uganda’s main source of imports, with total regional imports rising from 5.11 trillion UGX to 30.68 trillion UGX in four years. This growth is supported by increased regional integration within the East African Community (EAC) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), as well as improved trade routes through the port of Dar es Salaam.
While China remains an important supplier of industrial equipment, electronics, and construction materials, Tanzania’s rise underscores that the precious metals trade is fundamentally changing the structure of Uganda’s imports.
Key Data Summary
- Uganda total imports (2024/25): 56.8 trillion UGX
- Tanzania’s share: 12.46 trillion UGX (21.94%)
- Growth in Tanzanian imports (2022–2025): +1,017%
- Growth in Chinese imports (2022–2025): +69%
- Growth in Kenyan imports (2022–2025): +76%
- Precious minerals imports (2024/25): 16.65 trillion UGX (29% of total)
For a detailed breakdown of the data and expert analysis, read the full article on our website.
