BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 12. Domestic sales of petroleum products in Azerbaijan fell below forecast levels in 2025, contributing to lower-than-expected road tax revenues, according to the Chamber of Accounts.
The findings were included in the Chamber's opinion on the draft law "On the Execution of the State Budget for 2025."
Road tax revenues totaled 132.2 million manats ($77.8 million) in 2025, compared with a forecast of 142.8 million manats ($84.0 million), a shortfall of 10.6 million manats ($6.2 million), or 7.4%.
The Chamber reported that road tax collections on petroleum products sold domestically reached 88.2 million manats ($51.9 million), against a forecast of 105.8 million manats ($62.2 million). The figure was 17.6 million manats ($10.4 million), or 16.6%, below target and 3.3 million manats ($1.9 million), or 3.6%, lower than in 2024.
According to the Chamber, the decline was primarily driven by lower production volumes of petroleum products intended for domestic consumption.
Sales volumes of AI-92 gasoline were 233,300 tons, or 14.3%, below forecast levels. AI-95 gasoline sales fell short of projections by 105,500 tons, while diesel fuel sales were 197,100 tons, or 9%, below forecast.
At the same time, revenues generated from imported fuel and road taxes paid by owners of foreign-registered vehicles reached 44 million manats ($25.9 million). That figure exceeded the forecast by 7 million manats ($4.1 million), or 18.9%, although it was 0.4 million manats ($235,000), or 0.9%, lower than the amount collected in 2024.
The Chamber said stronger-than-expected revenues in this category were supported by higher fuel imports and increased road tax payments from foreign-registered vehicles entering or transiting Azerbaijan.
Imports exceeded projections by 88,900 tons for AI-92 gasoline and by 66,000 tons for AI-95 gasoline. In addition, road tax payments from owners of foreign-registered vehicles were 5.1 million manats ($3.0 million) higher than forecast.
Despite the increase in import-related revenues, the gains were not enough to offset the shortfall in road tax collections linked to lower domestic petroleum product sales, the Chamber said.
