In Niger, petrol shortage triggers queues in Niamey

Filling stations in the Nigerien capital were swamped on 18 October. A decree signed on 12 October gives priority to supplying the domestic market.

By Sékou Camara · 19 October 2026 · 1 min read

Lire en français

Add b-economik to your preferred sources

Karey Gorou filling station, near Niamey, on 12 January 2020. Archive photo used for illustration, unrelated to the October 2026 queues. Vincent van Zeijst / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized and converted to WebP under the same licence. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Niger,_Karey_Gorou,_(6)_gas_station.jpg https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Fuel supply difficulties hit Niamey on Sunday 18 October, when motorists and motorcyclists waited outside petrol stations that were still being supplied, AFP observed. The capital had been relatively spared the shortages reported in recent weeks in several towns across the country.

The Ministry of Commerce had circulated a list of stations with fuel at the end of the week. These outlets were quickly swamped, while managers reported empty tanks for several days, according to the agency.

To prioritise the domestic market, Commerce and Industry Minister Abdoulaye Seydou signed a decree on 12 October banning the export of super petrol and diesel, the Nigerien Press Agency reported.

However, the text provides for Sonidep and Soraz to be able to export in the event of a production surplus. Such sales abroad are subject to a special authorisation from the minister in charge of Commerce.

In this article