Pump Prices Up: Petrol Up by KSh 28.69, While Diesel Staged at KSh 40.30 in Latest EPRA Review

By Benadeta Mwaura - Reporter

Kenya, 14 April 2026 - Fuel prices in Kenya have risen sharply in the latest review by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), with the regulator confirming significant increases in pump prices effective midnight for the next 30-day pricing cycle.

According to an official EPRA circular dated 14 April 2026, the maximum retail price of Super Petrol has increased by KSh 28.69 per litre, while Diesel has recorded an even steeper rise of KSh 40.30 per litre. Kerosene prices, however, remain unchanged.

In Nairobi, Super Petrol will now retail at KSh 206.97 per litre, Diesel at KSh 206.84, and Kerosene at KSh 152.78, marking one of the most substantial fuel price adjustments in recent months.

EPRA noted that the prices are inclusive of taxes under the VAT Act, Finance Act 2023, and the Tax Laws (Amendment) Act 2024, alongside revised excise duty rates adjusted for inflation.

In a bid to cushion consumers, the government reduced Value Added Tax (VAT) on petroleum products from 16 percent to 13 percent. Additionally, approximately KSh 6.2 billion from the Petroleum Development Levy (PDL) has been deployed to stabilise pump prices.

Despite these interventions, the sharp increase underscores the intensity of global cost pressures, with EPRA reaffirming its commitment to “the observance of fair competition and protection of the interests of both consumers and investors in the energy and petroleum sectors,” as stated in the circular signed by acting Director General Dr Joseph Oketch.

The price hike comes just hours after Members of Parliament sought to reassure the country over fuel availability following an inspection of storage facilities at the Kenya Pipeline Company.

Members of the National Assembly’s Energy Committee, led by David Gikaria, stated that the country holds sufficient petroleum stocks across key depots in Mombasa, Nairobi, Nakuru, Kisumu and Eldoret, dismissing fears of a supply shortage.

“We are satisfied that the country has enough fuel stock,” Gikaria said, even as the latest price adjustment highlights the distinction between supply adequacy and pricing pressures driven by global markets.

Ahead of the announcement, motorists across the country had already begun crowding fuel stations in anticipation of a price increase, seeking to fill their tanks before the new rates took effect.

Reports from Nairobi and other urban centres indicated long queues at petrol stations, reflecting heightened consumer sensitivity to fuel price movements amid an already elevated cost of living.

Such behaviour is typical in Kenya’s fuel market, where expectations of price hikes often trigger short-term demand surges, occasionally straining distribution networks.

The latest adjustment reflects a delayed transmission of rising global oil prices into the domestic market. Kenya’s fuel pricing model operates on a lag system, meaning current pump prices are based on fuel imported weeks earlier.

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Over the past month, global crude oil prices have surged past $100 per barrel, driven by geopolitical tensions and supply risks along key corridors such as the Strait of Hormuz.

These developments have significantly increased the landed cost of petroleum products.

For Kenya, which relies entirely on imported fuel, such global shocks translate directly into higher domestic prices, further amplified by exchange rate pressures as imports are denominated in US dollars.

The sharp increase in fuel prices is expected to have immediate and far-reaching implications across the economy. Fuel remains a critical input in transport, agriculture, manufacturing, and food distribution, meaning higher pump prices are likely to feed into overall inflation.

For households, the increase translates into higher transport costs and a broader rise in the cost of living. For businesses, particularly in logistics and production, the surge raises operational expenses, with many expected to pass costs on to consumers.

This development could complicate monetary policy decisions for the Central Bank of Kenya, particularly as the economy faces external pressures linked to global commodity prices.

The latest EPRA review marks the end of a period of relative fuel price stability and signals the full transmission of global energy shocks into the Kenyan economy.

While government interventions have helped cushion consumers, the scale of the increase highlights the limits of such measures in the face of sustained global volatility.

With oil markets remaining unpredictable and geopolitical tensions unresolved, further fluctuations in fuel prices cannot be ruled out.

For now, the latest adjustment reinforces a persistent structural reality, Kenya’s fuel market remains highly exposed to global forces beyond its control.