Opiyo Wandayi, the Cabinet Secretary for Energy and Petroleum, has convened an emergency meeting with oil marketers as the government moves to address growing public concerns over a possible fuel shortage in Kenya.
The meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, March 10, comes shortly after the Cabinet Secretary held discussions with international petroleum suppliers under the government-to-government (G2G) fuel import arrangement.
Speaking during the official listing of the Kenya Pipeline Company at the Nairobi Securities Exchange, Wandayi reassured Kenyans that the country currently has adequate fuel stocks and that contingency measures are in place to secure supply.
“We continue to engage very closely with our government-to-government suppliers, that is, Saudi Aramco, ADNOC and ENOC, in terms of contingency planning,” Wandayi said.
“For that reason, there is really no cause for alarm. In the short to medium term, we have security of supply, and we continue to monitor the situation very closely,” he added.
Kenya relies heavily on imported petroleum products, making it vulnerable to global supply disruptions. The government has maintained supply through long-term contracts with international energy firms including Saudi Aramco, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company and Emirates National Oil Company.
The emergency consultations come against the backdrop of rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East after Iran threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz – a strategic maritime route that carries roughly 21 percent of global oil supply.
Authorities are also closely monitoring a fuel tanker currently in transit through the Red Sea carrying petroleum products destined for Kenya. The shipment is considered critical for maintaining steady fuel reserves.
According to Daniel Kiptoo, Director General of the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), officials are tracking a scheduled fuel loading set for March 13 in the Red Sea. The vessel is expected to dock at the Kenyan coast in early April.
The monitoring is part of precautionary measures amid disruptions to global shipping routes caused by the escalating conflict in the Middle East. Some vessels have been forced to reroute, raising shipping costs and increasing the risk of delays in petroleum supply chains.
Energy experts note that Kenya’s dependence on imported refined petroleum products leaves the country exposed to global market shocks. Although several African nations such as Nigeria produce crude oil, many still lack sufficient refining capacity and rely on imported fuel.
Meanwhile, EPRA is expected to announce new pump prices on March 14, a development that many consumers are closely watching as speculation grows about potential price adjustments.
Despite the uncertainty, the government has maintained that Kenya has sufficient petroleum stocks to meet both domestic demand and regional supply commitments while authorities continue to closely monitor developments in global energy markets.
