Storage media imports in Tanzania: data, top suppliers and prices
In 2024, Tanzania imported storage media worth $16.0 million (664 tonnes). That is 66% less than in 2023. Across 2017-2024 the long-run trend was broadly stable. The peak in this period was 2023, at $47.1 million.
Public statistics, latest complete year (2024). Values in US dollars. Page updated .
Imports by year, 2017-2024
Hover or tap a year for detail.
Year by year
| Year | Value | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $16.0M | 665 t |
| 2023 | $47.1M | 1.1K t |
| 2022 | $21.0M | 931 t |
| 2021 | $14.0M | 730 t |
| 2020 | $16.7M | 844 t |
| 2019 | $14.8M | 915 t |
| 2018 | $16.2M | 751 t |
| 2017 | $12.1M | 605 t |
Where Tanzania imports storage media from
The largest suppliers were China (28%), Egypt (12%), India (11%).
| Supplier country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| China | $4.5M | 28% |
| Egypt | $1.9M | 12% |
| India | $1.8M | 11% |
| Mexico | $1.4M | 8.5% |
| Malaysia | $1.3M | 7.9% |
| France | $1.2M | 7.6% |
| South Africa | $968K | 6.1% |
| United Arab Emirates | $772K | 4.8% |
| Switzerland | $331K | 2.1% |
| United States | $281K | 1.8% |
Product types under HS 8523
| 8523.52 | Smart cards | 78% |
| 8523.80 | Storage media (other) | 8.9% |
| 8523.51 | Solid-state storage devices | 4.9% |
| 8523.21 | Magnetic stripe cards | 2.8% |
| 8523.59 | Semiconductor storage media (other) | 2.3% |
| 8523.49 | Recorded optical discs | 2.1% |
| 8523.29 | Magnetic tape media | 1% |
| 8523.41 | Blank optical discs | 0.2% |
Codes and full descriptions: HS heading 8523.
Average import price per kg
The average declared value was about $24.05 per kg, 87% below the world average of $190.33, which often means bulk or lower-grade product.
Declared value divided by weight, all 2024 shipments. Prices per shipment and per company are in EximDataX.
Storage media exports from Tanzania
Tanzania exported $560 thousand of storage media in 2024 (16 tonnes). Most of it went to South Africa (34%), Kenya (24%), Zambia (19%). Among the main buyer markets, South Africa grew fastest, more than tenfold on the year before.
| Destination | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| South Africa | $188K | 34% |
| Kenya | $136K | 24% |
| Zambia | $106K | 19% |
| Zimbabwe | $50K | 8.9% |
| DR Congo | $27K | 4.7% |
| Taiwan | $15K | 2.6% |
| Netherlands | $11K | 2% |
| Hungary | $10K | 1.9% |
| United Kingdom | $10K | 1.7% |
| Hong Kong | $4K | 0.8% |
Who is behind these numbers in Tanzania?
The shipment records behind Tanzania storage media imports (HS 8523): companies, dates, quantities and declared values.
Shipment records are in the platform
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Direct customs feed: shipment-level records from the official customs source.
Source: CEPII BACI (reconciled UN Comtrade data), HS 2017 edition, release 202601, Etalab Open Licence 2.0. Annual values in US dollars at the customs border; quantities in tonnes where reported. HS 8523: Discs, tapes, solid-state non-volatile storage devices, smart cards and other media for the recording of sound or of other phenomena, whether or not recorded, including matrices and masters for the production of discs, excluding products of Chapter 37.
Common questions
What is the value of storage media imported by Tanzania?
Tanzania imported storage media worth $16.0 million in 2024, the latest year with complete public data, about 664 tonnes. That ranks it 98th of 222 countries worldwide, with 0% of world imports. The value was down 66% on 2023.
Which countries supply storage media to Tanzania?
China was the largest supplier with 28% of the value ($4.5 million), followed by Egypt (12%) and India (11%). The top three together account for 51%, out of 64 supplier countries in total.
What is the average import price of storage media per kg?
The average declared import value was about $24.05 per kg in 2024, 87% below the world average of $190.33 per kg. Declared value divided by weight mixes every grade, so read it as a benchmark rather than a quote.
How have imports of storage media to Tanzania changed since 2017?
Imports went from $12.1 million in 2017 to $16.0 million in 2024, an increase of 32%. The peak was 2023 at $47.1 million. Over 8 years the average was $19.7 million a year.
Does Tanzania also export storage media?
Yes. Tanzania exported $560 thousand worth of this product in 2024, mainly to South Africa, Kenya and Zambia. On balance Tanzania is a net importer of this product, by about $15.4 million a year.
What is the HS code for storage media?
The HS code for storage media is heading 8523. In Tanzania the largest six-digit codes were 8523.52 (78% of the value) and 8523.80 (9%).
How can I find the companies behind this trade?
The totals here are public statistics; the company-level detail sits in EximDataX, which has a direct customs feed for Tanzania. Tell us your product to see it live.
Same product, other countries
Storage media product types in Tanzania
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