Mozambique: Government Denies Reports of Fuel Shortage

What the report says

Mozambique’s Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy has denied that the country is experiencing a new nationwide fuel shortage, even as long queues formed at petrol stations in Maputo and other cities. The ministry’s statement, reported by Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique and distributed by AllAfrica, said supply was continuing normally and that stocks had not been disrupted.

According to the report, the recent congestion was linked to logistical problems over the weekend, which overlapped with a national holiday. The ministry said those constraints interrupted the usual loading and distribution cycle, leaving some stations without deliveries on time and causing closures or long lines at others in central Maputo. It also said operational teams were deployed at the Matola Terminal to restore supply flow.

The article says 1.176 million litres of petrol were loaded there, close to the daily average of about 1.2 million litres, and that 8,000 tonnes of petrol were expected to arrive in Mozambique by Thursday. Officials said the fuel on hand should be enough to meet demand in Maputo. To reduce future disruptions, the ministry said it plans better coordination among fuel operators, longer terminal loading hours when needed, and Saturday loading operations.

The denial comes after earlier fuel-supply tensions in the country, including protests by motorcycle taxi drivers in Nampula over shortages. The report notes that Mozambique has also faced broader fuel supply pressures in the past, reflecting the country’s dependence on imported fuel and vulnerability to transport and foreign-currency constraints.