Kampala — Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, Ruth Nankabirwa has warned marketing companies abetting fuel scarcity and price hikes, despite Uganda having enough supply for the local market.
The Minister says that she has been investigating the causes of the price hikes in the country and realised that the countryside is suffering more than Kampala and neighbouring areas.
She says Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC) ordered for the current reserves as early as January at the January international prices and that the company is still supplying products to marketing companies at the same old prices.
This, she says has prompted the ministry to consider sanctions of the companies that are distorting price and supply trends. She was speaking to journalists at the ongoing 12th National Oil and Gas Convention at Speke Resort Munyonyo.
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"Uganda currently holds adequate fuel stocks within operational thresholds, complemented by a strong forward import pipeline," the minister said, adding that as of mid-April 2026, an additional shipment of approximately 119 million litres of petrol was received at the port of Mombasa, further strengthening national reserves.
Between mid-April and mid-June 2026, planned imports include approximately: 163 million litres of petrol Over 200 million litres of diesel and approximately 22.4 million litres of Jet A-1 fuel.
These volumes, combined with existing stocks, provide cover of up to 67 days for petrol, 84 days for diesel, and 89 days for Jet fuel, against a national daily consumption of approximately 8 million litres, she explained.
"I am pleased to report that recently discharged cargoes have begun flowing into the country, and distribution across retail outlets is ongoing.
This will continue to stabilise supply nationwide in the coming days.
"Nankabirwa also said that inquiries have revealed that trucks were being filled with fuel at Border towns like Arua and Kasese and ferrying it to the Democratic Republic of Congo, which she said was wrong because the fuel was marked for the local market.
Others are using jerry cans on boda bodas. She warned that fuel stations doing that are acting illegally.
She also advised against panic buying especially by those filling jerricans and keeping fuel in their houses, that there is no fuel crisis.
The current fuel reserves are expected to take the country for at least a week. However, the minister says that more fuel is on the way.
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Nankabirwa was, however, categorical that the new deliveries expected in May and June would be sold at higher prices.
"This is because since then, the global crude oil prices have since increased and the the oil UNOC is purchasing now is from that expensive crude," she said, adding, "even the refiners themselves have increased the cost of refining from between 2 and 5 dollars per barrel in January to more than 50 dollars now, can you imagine!"
"So, please, expect the prices between UNOC and the marketers to increase in May," she said, but added that they will keep liaising with the marketing companies to ensure reasonable prices relative to the global trends.
