DODOMA, Tanzania — Tanzania has strengthened oversight of fuel imports through the deployment of a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system that enables authorities to monitor fuel deliveries in real time and reduce losses during the offloading process, officials said.
Speaking at the ongoing Nanenane Agricultural Exhibition in Dodoma, Elvira Muganga, an engineer with the Petroleum Bulk Procurement Agency (PBPA), said the digital system allows the government to accurately track the volume of fuel received as shipments are discharged from vessels into storage terminals.
According to Muganga, the SCADA system collects data from government-owned metering equipment installed at fuel reception points and compares it with readings from meters at bulk storage facilities.
"This comparison enables authorities to detect any discrepancies during the offloading process and ensures that the volume of fuel received is accurately recorded," she said.
She noted that before the introduction of the system, monitoring fuel offloading relied largely on indirect reporting methods, making real-time verification more difficult.
The adoption of SCADA has significantly improved the government's ability to supervise fuel-handling operations and to obtain accurate operational data.
Muganga said the technology has enhanced transparency and accountability throughout the fuel import process while improving the accuracy of information used in calculating government revenues.
She added that the system has positioned Tanzania among countries using advanced digital technology to oversee petroleum imports and minimise losses that may occur during the transfer of fuel from ships to storage facilities.
PBPA is using this year's Nanenane exhibition to raise public awareness about the SCADA system, the country's Bulk Procurement System (BPS) for petroleum imports, and the agency's broader role in ensuring an efficient, transparent and secure fuel supply chain.
She encouraged members of the public and stakeholders in the energy sector to visit the PBPA exhibition stand to learn more about the technologies and systems supporting petroleum management in Tanzania.
