The Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority

What The Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority does

The Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (EWURA) is an autonomous statutory body established under the EWURA Act Cap 414 in 2001 and operational since September 2006, headquartered in Dodoma, Tanzania. EWURA is the sole multi-sectoral regulator for electricity, petroleum, natural gas, and water/sanitation services across mainland Tanzania. Its core functions include technical and economic regulation of sector operators, issuance and enforcement of licenses, setting of regulated tariffs (monthly petroleum cap prices, annual electricity and water tariffs, natural gas pricing under 2020 regulations), compliance monitoring, consumer complaint resolution through a toll-free hotline and online portal, and development of sector rules and standards.

EWURA serves approximately 83 Water Supply and Sanitation Authorities, the government-owned Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO) plus 14 independent power producers, 2,405 licensed petroleum retail outlets, and four natural gas operators (TPDC, Songas, PAET, Maurel & Prom). It operates five interconnected digital platforms — LOIS (licensing), NPGIS (petroleum and gas data), MaJIS (water sector data), e-Service (electronic transactions), and CQS (contractor qualification) — delivered through its headquarters and six zonal offices covering all 26 mainland regions.

EWURA is funded through Tanzanian government budgetary appropriations and regulatory fees/levies collected from licensed entities, and does not have commercial revenue in the traditional sense. The Authority is governed by a Board of Directors appointed by the President of Tanzania and led by Director General Gerald Maganga, with Prof. Mark J. Mwandosya serving as Board Chairman. Its mandate is supported by sector-specific legislation including the Electricity Act Cap 131, Petroleum Act Cap 392, and Water and Sanitation Act 2019.

Name

The Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority

Legal name

Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (EWURA)

Website

https://ewura.go.tz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

EWURA is Tanzania's autonomous multi-sectoral statutory regulator for electricity, petroleum, natural gas, and water/sanitation services, headquartered in Dodoma with six zonal offices nationwide. It licenses operators, sets regulated tariffs, monitors compliance, and resolves consumer disputes across all four sectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Dodoma

HQ country

Tanzania

HQ region

Africa

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Regulatory Fees and Levies: EWURA generates revenue through regulatory fees and levies collected from licensed entities across the electricity, petroleum, natural gas, and water/sanitation sectors. These include licensing fees, annual levies, and fees for various regulatory services. The authority operates under the EWURA Act Cap 414 and sector legislation which authorize fee collection.
2. Government Funding and Appropriations: As a statutory body of the Government of Tanzania, EWURA receives operational funding through annual government appropriations and budget allocations from the national treasury.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

EWURA is the autonomous multi-sectoral regulatory authority for mainland Tanzania, established under EWURA Act Cap 414 to perform technical and economic regulation of the electricity, petroleum, natural gas, and water/sanitation sectors. Its core regulatory services include issuing and enforcing licenses for operators across all four sectors, reviewing and approving tariffs (electricity, natural gas, water) and publishing monthly petroleum cap prices, conducting compliance monitoring and enforcement, resolving consumer complaints, and developing sector regulations, rules, and standards.

Product overview

EWURA is a regulatory authority for Tanzania that operates as a platform of regulatory management systems rather than a single product. The organization oversees four regulated sectors: electricity, petroleum, natural gas, and water/sanitation. The digital infrastructure consists of five interconnected online service systems: NPGIS for petroleum and gas information management, MaJIS for water sector data, LOIS for licensing and regulatory approvals, e-Service for electronic transactions, and CQS for qualification management. These systems serve licensed entities, consumers, and regulatory staff across Tanzania's energy and water utilities sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• LOIS (License and Order Information System) Electronic licensing platform that enables applicants to submit, track, and manage license applications for operators in the electricity, petroleum, natural gas, and water/sanitation sectors. Used by prospective and existing regulated entities to obtain authorization to operate under EWURA's statutory mandate.
• NPGIS (National Petroleum and Gas Information System) National information system for managing and monitoring petroleum and natural gas sector data, licensees, and regulatory information across midstream and downstream operations. Used by EWURA staff, regulated petroleum and gas operators, and the public to access sector data.
• MaJIS (Maji Information System) Digital system for water supply and sanitation sector data management, monitoring water supply and sanitation authority performance across 83 WSSAs in mainland Tanzania. Used by EWURA and WSSAs to report and track sector performance.
• EWURA e-Service Electronic service portal for regulatory transactions, consumer complaints submission, and regulatory queries. Available to both regulated entities and end consumers to interact with EWURA digitally.
• CQS (Common Qualification System) Online system for managing the qualification and registration of service providers and contractors operating in the electricity, petroleum, natural gas, and water sectors. Used by contractors seeking qualification to participate in regulated sector activities.
• Petroleum Cap Price Publication Service Monthly publication of maximum retail and wholesale petroleum prices (petrol, diesel, lamp oil) across all regions, territories, and cities in Tanzania. Cap prices are computed from cost components at ports in Dar es Salaam, Tanga, and Mtwara and accessible via the EWURA website, mobile USSD (*152*00#), and public notices. Used by petroleum traders (who are prohibited from selling above the cap) and consumers to verify retail fuel prices.
• Electricity Tariff Regulation Service Review and approval of electricity tariffs for Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO) and independent power producers operating under licenses issued by EWURA. Tariff orders are issued under the Electricity Act Cap. 131 on an annual review basis.
• Natural Gas Tariff Regulation Service Regulation of natural gas tariffs covering processing, transmission, distribution, and supply/marketing services under the Petroleum (Natural Gas Pricing) Regulations 2020. Tariffs apply to the four licensed natural gas operators in Tanzania (TPDC, Songas, PAET, and Maurel & Prom).
• Water and Sanitation Tariff Regulation Service Review and approval of water tariffs for Water Supply and Sanitation Authorities across Tanzania through the EWURA Water Tariff Application and Rate Setting Rules 2020. WSSAs are licensed under three tiers (Class I, II, III) based on financial and technical capability.
• Consumer Complaint Resolution Service Multi-channel consumer complaint handling and dispute resolution service covering electricity, petroleum, natural gas, and water/sanitation providers. Available to individual and commercial consumers through a toll-free hotline (0800110030), zone offices, the online feedback system, and the government's e-mrejesho platform.
• Public Access Registry Electronic public registry containing regulatory decisions, compliance orders, tariff orders, and consumer complaint awards across all four regulated sectors. Provides transparent public access to EWURA's regulatory actions and orders.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,405 licensed petroleum retail outlets across mainland Tanzania as of September 2024
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Tanzania Government Energy MinistrycoreOthers · 24 March 2026EWURA works under the policy direction of the Ministry of Energy, which oversees the energy sector. During the March 2026 Middle East fuel supply crisis, the Energy Minister directed EWURA to conduct inspections of fuel storage facilities and formed a task force to monitor fuel imports and prevent hoarding, demonstrating direct operational coordination.
• TANESCO (Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited)coreOthersTANESCO is the government-owned electricity utility regulated by EWURA. EWURA sets electricity tariffs, approves power purchase agreements, monitors compliance, and regulates TANESCO's generation, transmission, and distribution operations under the Electricity Act Cap. 131. TANESCO operates the national grid and holds the largest electricity infrastructure in Tanzania.
• TPDC (Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation)coreOthersTPDC is the national oil and gas corporation that holds upstream petroleum interests and participates in the natural gas sector. EWURA regulates TPDC's midstream and downstream natural gas activities alongside other licensed operators including Songas, PAET, and Maurel & Prom.
• PBPA (Petroleum Bulk Procurement Agency)coreOthersPBPA is a state agency established under the Petroleum Act to coordinate the bulk procurement and importation of petroleum products into Tanzania. EWURA ensures the bulk procurement system operates in compliance with petroleum regulations and that the country is not deprived of essential fuel supplies.
• TAZAMA PipelinecoreOthersTAZAMA (Tanzania Zambia Mafuta) pipeline is a cross-border petroleum products pipeline operated by TAZAMA Pipeline Company Limited, transporting crude oil from Dar es Salaam to Ndola, Zambia. EWURA regulates the pipeline's operations as part of the midstream petroleum sector infrastructure.
• Water Supply and Sanitation Authorities (83 WSSAs)coreOthersEWURA regulates approximately 83 Water Supply and Sanitation Authorities across mainland Tanzania, comprising 26 regional authorities, 7 national project authorities, and 46 district/small-town authorities. These entities provide water and sanitation services and are licensed under three regulatory classes based on financial and technical capability.
• TBS (Tanzania Bureau of Standards)coreOthersTBS develops and issues technical standards used by EWURA in regulating the energy and water sectors. EWURA references TBS standards for petroleum quality, electrical equipment, water quality specifications, and natural gas equipment across all regulated sectors.
• NEMC (National Environment Management Council)minorOthersNEMC conducts environmental impact assessments for water and sanitation projects and other regulated sector projects. WSSAs and petroleum operators must obtain environmental clearance from NEMC as part of EWURA's regulatory compliance framework for health, safety, and environmental protection.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS): TBS is a domestic peer/partner organization that issues technical standards referenced by EWURA in its regulatory work (petroleum quality, electrical equipment, water specifications). TBS is an adjacent standards-setting body that supports but does not replicate EWURA's licensing and tariff functions.
• National Environment Management Council (NEMC) - Tanzania: NEMC is a domestic Tanzanian environmental regulator conducting environmental impact assessments for water, sanitation, and petroleum projects regulated by EWURA. NEMC is an adjacent regulatory peer with overlapping jurisdiction on environmental compliance for EWURA's licensees.

Direct peers

• Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA): RURA regulates multiple utility sectors including energy, water, sanitation, and telecommunications in Rwanda. It is a directly comparable multi-sectoral regulator in a neighboring country with similar licensing, tariff-setting, and consumer protection functions to EWURA.
• Zambia Energy Regulation Board (ERB): ERB regulates the energy sector in Zambia covering electricity and petroleum products. ERB is a comparable statutory energy regulator with licensing, tariff-setting, and compliance functions operating in a neighboring market connected to Tanzania via the TAZAMA pipeline.
• Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) - Kenya: Kenya's statutory regulator for electricity, petroleum, and renewable energy. EPRA is the closest functional peer to EWURA, performing technical and economic regulation of energy utilities under a single statutory authority with similar licensing, tariff-setting, and compliance functions.
• Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) - Ghana: PURC regulates electricity and water utilities in Ghana with independent quasi-judicial authority over tariffs and service standards. It mirrors EWURA's electricity and water regulatory functions with comparable consumer complaint and dispute resolution mechanisms.
• Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC): NERC regulates electricity generation, transmission, distribution, and trading in Nigeria. While narrower in sectoral scope than EWURA, NERC is a comparable statutory technical and economic regulator handling licensing, tariff orders, and consumer complaints for the power sector.
• National Energy Regulator (NERSA) - South Africa: NERSA regulates electricity, piped gas, and petroleum pipelines in South Africa. As a multi-sectoral statutory energy regulator with licensing, tariff-setting, and compliance authority, NERSA is a strong structural parallel to EWURA's four-sector regulatory mandate.
• Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA): MERA regulates the electricity, petroleum, and downstream natural gas sectors in Malawi. As a multi-sectoral statutory energy regulator in a neighboring Southern African country, MERA performs licensing, tariff-setting, and compliance functions analogous to EWURA.
• Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) - Uganda: Uganda's statutory regulator for the electricity sector, with some jurisdiction over petroleum. ERA performs licensing, tariff approval, and compliance oversight comparable to EWURA's electricity and petroleum functions, operating in a neighboring East African market with similar regulatory architecture.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=4UBAZg0Ueow
• Facebookfacebook.com/100067746501209
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ewura

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority