The Ukraine-Russian crisis is unfolding in another continent but Africa is already bearing the brunt of the rising cost in fuel prices. The Russian invasion drives up already steep energy costs, as analyst’s fears record surge in fuel prices in Sub Saharan Africa. Oil producing countries are repositioning themselves to cater for local needs and at the same time export to non-producing states. Uncertainty has marred the global oil market. The outcome is unpredictable in a debacle that has the potential to trigger world war 3.world of. In the meantime Africa is grappling with the economic cost triggered by the crisis.
Chaos are reigning at some fuel stations, the pandemonium is unbearable. Arguments break out and drivers hunk their car horns as they wait in the long queue that spills into streets, disrupting traffic.
Motorists and other with private cars are spending hours waiting, in the hope of filling up their tanks before fuel runs out.
“Getting petrol is like digging for gold,” groans waiting Nigerian motorist Joy Agbonifo. “We spend hours looking for fuel, and when we get to a petrol station, there’s no guarantee we’ll even get any.”
In Nigeria for example the fuel shortage has lasted for weeks. It started after the federal government held back imports of fuel that was found to be sub-standard, causing a scarcity at filling stations.
High petrol prices across the continent
The battle for petrol is not limited to Nigeria.
Across Africa, fuel prices have reached all-time highs. Sierra Leone has increased pump price from le10,000 to Le12000 at the beginning of the crisis. In Burkina Faso fuel prices rose by 8%. South Africa’s national statistics institute said fuel prices in December 2021 had risen by 40,5% compared to the previous year.
In January, Burundi’s government raised fuel prices by almost 13%, which Aloys Bakicako, leader of the opposition party Rassemblement National pour le Change called a “historic increase.”
Burundians fear new hikes when buying imported food, which are pegged to fuel prices. After the Central African Republic, Zimbabwe and Senegal, Burundi is the most expensive African country for buying a liter of petrol.
High fuel prices hitting everyday consumers
Burundian Innocent Irambona, who normally takes a taxi to work, complains that that option has now become unaffordable.
“Where I used to pay 2,000 Burundian francs, I now pay 3,000. Also, many taxi services are not working because of the fuel shortage. Paying higher prices is hard when our wages don’t increase,” Irambona said.
Across the border in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the price of petrol has risen by 3,000 Congolese francs ($1,50), a record.
The Congolese Ministry of Hydrocarbons says the petroleum logistics company SEP Congo, which is responsible for transporting and storing petroleum products, is struggling with technical problems.
Rising fuel prices are hitting Africans hard at a time when the prices of basic foods have also risen dramatically.
Angry Kenyans recently took to social media using the #lowerfoodprices to protest the soaring cost of food, electricity, and fuel.
The Kenyan government, under pressure from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to raise more revenue, had raised taxes on household goods such as cooking gas, fuel, and food by 14%.
In Togo and Ivory Coast, food prices have also nearly doubled.
On top of this Russia`s invasion of Ukraine on February 24 has triggered a global price spike over concerns of a supply crunch.
Fears of cuts to Russian oil supplies
Russia is one of the three top crude oil producers in the world, along with the US and Saudi Arabia. Although sanctions on Russia don’t directly target the country’s oil exports, the global oil market is rattled by fears that Russia’s oil production could be throttled.
Crude oil prices breached the $100 per barrel mark for the first time since 2014 on Tuesday.
Members of the International Energy Agency, which includes the world’s biggest oil producer, the United States, agreed on Tuesday to release 60 million barrels of crude from their reserves.
So far, this has failed to quell the sharp price increases.
Burundi’s Energy Ministry blames the steady escalation of international oil prices, and repeated its pledge to keep the whole country supplied with fuel.
But transport costs have risen.