Tanzania: EAC tariff cut on African print fabric, buses exempted
Under the 2026/2027 revision of the EAC common external tariff, which took effect on 1 July 2026, Tanzania secured a cut in the customs duty on African print fabric, from 50% to 35%, and a suspension of duties on buses with more than 25 seats and on smart cards.
Published · Updated
According to a KPMG briefing on the changes to the East African Community common external tariff for fiscal year 2026/2027, Tanzania benefits from a reduction in the customs duty applicable to African print fabric, which falls from 50% to 35%, as well as a suspension of customs duties on buses with more than 25 seats and on smart cards.
These adjustments come as part of the annual review of the common external tariff by the EAC Council of Ministers, which can grant targeted exemptions or reductions to a member state to support a sector or industry, in addition to the four general bands of 0%, 10%, 25% and 35%.
The measure took effect on 1 July 2026, at the start of the 2026/2027 fiscal year. The KPMG briefing consulted does not specify an end date for the suspension of duties on buses and smart cards, nor whether it is renewed each year.
Tanzanian importers of African print-style printed textiles, often manufactured in China for the East African market, are affected, as are public transport operators buying buses and companies using smart cards (transport, payment, access control).
What it changes for an importer
A Tanzanian importer of African print textiles may see their customs duty fall by 15 points, improving their margin or allowing them to lower their local selling price, while a transport operator or technology company importing smart cards or buses from China can currently do so free of customs duty. Sorva can check that the targeted product does indeed fall within the relevant tariff category before the factory purchase, without guaranteeing that this exemption will be maintained over time or standing in for Tanzanian customs.
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