Kenya's Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) has increased petrol prices by approximately 16%, citing a more than 40% rise in import costs due to global crude oil price surges and Middle East tensions.
Kenya has implemented a significant hike in petrol prices, with an approximate 16% increase, as escalating global crude oil costs and supply chain disruptions stemming from Middle East tensions continue to impact import-dependent economies.
The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) announced the new fuel prices, which are effective from April 15, 2026, to May 14, 2026, across the nation.
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Kenya relies heavily on imports for its refined petroleum products, sourcing them through government-to-government agreements with suppliers in the Persian Gulf, including Saudi Aramco Trading Fujairah and Emirates National Oil Company Singapore Ltd. The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has disrupted crude oil production and energy supply routes, leading to increased landing costs for these products.
EPRA stated that the new maximum retail prices for petroleum products were set in line with existing legal and regulatory frameworks. Specifically, the prices for Super Petrol and Diesel have risen by KShs. 28.69 per litre and KShs. 40.30 per litre, respectively, while the price of Kerosene remains unchanged.
To mitigate the impact of these rising costs on consumers, the Value Added Tax (VAT) rate on Super Petrol, Diesel, and Kerosene has been reduced from 16% to 13%. This measure aims to cushion consumers from the high landed cost of petroleum products driven by the elevated prices in the international market.
The price adjustments come as the average landed cost of imported fuel saw a sharp increase between February and March 2026. The average landed cost of imported Super Petrol surged by 41.53%, moving from US$582.11 per cubic metre in February 2026 to US$823.87 per cubic metre in March 2026. Similarly, the landed cost of diesel rose by nearly 69%, and kerosene by over 105% during the same period.
This development coincides with a slight increase in Kenya's inflation rate, which rose to 4.4% year-on-year in March 2026, up from 4.3% in February, according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS). However, the inflation rate remains within the government's medium-term target range of 2.5% to 7.5%.
In Nigeria's deregulated petrol market, fuel prices have also experienced significant increases, climbing from approximately N799 per litre before the recent global crisis to around N1,200 per litre.
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