Brent crude has traded around $100 a barrel since late September, and African fuel importers are passing the cost on to motorists. Zambia’s Energy Regulation Board raised petrol by 24% to 31.46 kwacha a litre from 1 October, as a six-month suspension of excise duty ended and the kwacha weakened. Namibia raised petrol by about 6% on 2 October but held diesel, while Ghana suspended a levy on diesel for October to limit its rise. Governments that absorb the shock give up budgeted revenue, while those that pass it on raise transport costs and inflation. Zambia restores value-added tax (VAT) on fuel on 1 December.
Sources
- Lusaka Times: https://www.lusakatimes.com/2026/10/01/petrol-hits-k31-46-diesel-k33-27-as-tax-relief-ends-while-hichilema-pushes-to-scrap-monthly-price-changes/
- Zambia Monitor: https://www.zambiamonitor.com/petrol-diesel-prices-hit-record-highs-as-erb-hikes-prices-by-over-k6/
- The Namibian: https://www.namibian.com.na/petrol-price-goes-up-again-in-october-diesel-remains-the-same/
- New Era: https://neweralive.na/diesel-holds-steady-as-fuel-shock-eases-into-october/
- Citi Newsroom: https://www.citinewsroom.com/2026/10/govt-rules-out-diesel-price-hitting-gh%C2%A222-per-litre/
- MyJoyOnline: https://www.myjoyonline.com/fuel-prices-to-rise-from-october-1-diesel-could-hit-gh%C2%A219-60-comac/
- Trading Economics (Brent): https://tradingeconomics.com/commodity/brent-crude-oil