Rising fuel prices, power cuts spread across Africa after Middle East war

Countries across Africa are taking urgent measures to cope with a fuel crisis triggered by the US and Israel's war in Iran, with some nations facing power rationing and others seeking alternative fuel sources.

In South Sudan, electricity rationing has begun in the capital, Juba, as authorities struggle to manage energy reserves. Juba's main electricity distributor, Jedco, said on March 26 that parts of the city would experience daily power cuts on a rotational basis, BBC writes. 

"Due to the ongoing Iran-US conflict... Jedco must proactively manage its available energy reserves... we are prioritising a strategic rationing of power," it stated.

Ereneo Mogga, an electrical engineer living in one of the worst-affected areas, described the impact:

"Power often goes off at 16:00 and doesn't come back on until 04:00 the next day. This paralyses most businesses," he told the BBC.

Some residents are switching to solar power, though Mogga noted, "It is very expensive though, but it costs less in terms of consumption."

Mauritius, heavily dependent on imported oil for electricity generation, has also imposed restrictions to reduce wastage, particularly in high-power consumption areas.

Energy Minister Patrick Assirvaden said a scheduled shipment of oil did not arrive, leaving the country with only 21 days of stock. The government has sourced alternative fuel from Singapore, expected to arrive on 1 April, albeit at higher cost.

Zimbabwe is responding by increasing ethanol content in petrol from 5% to 20% and scrapping some fuel import taxes to curb rising prices, which have surged 40% in under a month.

Nicole Mazarura, a street vendor in Harare, said the cost pressures are severe: "I can't raise the price of the drinks so I have to bear the loss, while my transport costs had doubled, depending on the time of day and where I order my products from. If transport costs go back to where they were, I can survive."

Ethiopia has ordered fuel suppliers to prioritise security institutions, government projects, key industries, and essential goods production, while the Tigray region has suspended fuel supplies amid fears of renewed conflict.

Kenya reports shortages at around 20% of petrol stations due to panic buying, though the energy ministry denies an overall shortage. Opiyo Wandayi, Kenya’s energy minister, urged citizens not to panic buy.

The crisis has disrupted industries, particularly floriculture. The Kenya Flower Council reported losses exceeding $4.2m over three weeks due to shipping challenges and reduced Middle East demand.

One farm manager said, "We used to export 450,000 stems a day, but are now discarding almost 50%."

Some African nations could see economic opportunities from the conflict. South Africa’s officials stress stable fuel supply but warn of potential impacts if the war continues. Tankers avoiding the Red Sea and Strait of Hormuz may increase port activity in Walvis Bay, Cape Town, Durban, Maputo, and Dar es Salaam.

Nigeria, Africa's second-largest oil producer, could benefit from rising oil prices and has offered to increase output. Dumebi Oluwole, an economist from Lagos, cautioned, "Ordinary people may not feel the benefit immediately because if international petrol prices rise, transport costs increase everywhere."

With Africa reliant on imports and regional power systems vulnerable, governments face mounting pressure to maintain energy supplies and limit the social and economic fallout of a conflict thousands of miles away.

By Sabina Mammadli