Kenyans brace for fuel price hike as EPRA cites rising global costs
EPRA Director General Daniel Kiptoo has linked the expected increase to international oil price fluctuations, citing geopolitical factors that led to a spike in crude oil prices early in the year.
Fuel prices in Kenya are set to rise again, with EPRA indicating that the surge in global crude oil prices recorded in January will likely push pump prices higher from mid-February.
EPRA Director General Daniel Kiptoo has linked the expected increase to international oil price fluctuations, citing geopolitical factors that led to a spike in crude oil prices early in the year.
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He noted that sanctions imposed on Russian oil products by the outgoing US administration had contributed to the surge, and with the restrictions still in place, the impact is being felt in global markets.
“We did have a bit of a spike in international prices sometime in early January and it's because of certain geopolitical factors, there were sanctions that were put on Russian products by the outgoing US administration, but those sanctions have not been lifted,” Kiptoo said.
“That led to a bit of a jump in the flat price, and we are having our commutations going on today, hopefully, once we are able to ascertain where the prices are going we will be able also to consult the government, and then make a decision on whether we are going to apply stabilisation or not.”
Kiptoo said the authority was still calculating the new prices and consulting with the government on whether to apply stabilisation measures. However, he acknowledged that the final decision would depend on prevailing market dynamics, including exchange rate fluctuations.
“We are still computing and hopefully we will be able to land at a place where consumers are comfortable,” he said.
The anticipated increase follows last month’s price adjustment, which saw Super Petrol, Diesel, and Kerosene rise by Sh0.29, Sh2, and Sh3 per litre respectively.
Currently, a litre of Super Petrol in Nairobi retails at Sh176.58, Diesel at Sh167.06, and Kerosene at Sh151.39. In Mombasa, the prices stand at Sh173.34 for Super Petrol, Sh163.82 for Diesel, and Sh148.15 for Kerosene, while in Kisumu, motorists are paying Sh176.62, Sh167.44, and Sh151.82 respectively.
With the latest developments, motorists will be keenly watching EPRA’s announcement on February 14 to determine the extent of the price adjustment.
Recently, EPRA and the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) moved to reassure the public about the quality of petroleum fuels in the country following growing concerns over the standards of fuel sold at various stations.
In a joint statement, the regulators emphasised that all petroleum products undergo rigorous testing and certification before being distributed.
The statement followed online reports and videos questioning the quality of fuel sold to motorists, including at stations distributing Shell V-Power.
However, the regulators said that confirmatory tests conducted on fuel samples from different retail stations had shown that the fuel met the required Research Octane Number (RON) ratings as per Kenyan standards.
The agencies further explained that Super Petrol, marketed as a premium fuel with higher RON ratings, had consistently met the stipulated standards.
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They cautioned consumers against relying on market-sold gadgets claiming to test fuel quality, noting that official tests are conducted under controlled laboratory conditions to ensure accuracy.
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