Mali Grapples with Severe Fuel Shortage Amidst Militant Blockade and Soaring Prices

Widespread Disruptions as Fuel Supplies Dwindle

Parts of Mali are currently facing a severe and persistent fuel shortage, leading to significant disruptions in daily life and economic activity across the West African nation. Residents report long queues at petrol stations, and prices have reportedly doubled in some areas, particularly in cities like Mopti in central Mali. The scarcity has brought transportation to a near standstill, left weekly markets deserted, and compromised agricultural activities, exacerbating social tensions in the capital, Bamako.

The crisis has also impacted air travel, with a fuel shortage at Bamako's Modibo-Keita international airport leading to flight cancellations.

Militant Blockade and Economic Warfare

A primary driver of the current shortage is a deliberate blockade imposed by the Al-Qaeda-linked militant group, Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM). Over the past fortnight, JNIM has escalated its campaign by targeting and torching numerous fuel tankers, particularly in southern and western Mali. The group announced its blockade in a video, claiming responsibility for attacks on convoys transporting fuel from neighboring Senegal, a crucial conduit for more than a third of Mali's fuel imports.

Analysts view this tactic as a form of 'economic warfare' aimed at suffocating the country and destabilizing Mali's transitional government by strangling supply lines and stirring civilian unrest. JNIM has vowed to cut off key cities such as Kayes and Nioro-du-Sahel and has broadened its attacks to include other economic targets like cement factories, sugar refineries, and mines, along with the kidnapping of foreign workers.

Mali's Vulnerability and Government Response

Mali's landlocked geography makes it particularly vulnerable to such blockades, as it relies heavily on imports for essential goods, with fuel and its derivatives constituting approximately 33% of all goods and services imported, primarily from Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire.

In response to the escalating crisis, the Malian military has launched airstrikes in the Kayes region. The government has also attempted to downplay the severity of the blockade, with Prime Minister Major General Abdoulaye Maïga vowing to maintain supplies 'even if we have to go and get our fuel on foot with spoons'. Earlier in March 2025, the Malian government had announced a reduction in fuel prices, setting unleaded gasoline at 775 FCFA per litre and diesel at 725 FCFA per litre, in an effort to provide relief to consumers. The transport ministry is reportedly holding discussions with transportation associations to address the threats and seek solutions.

Previous Diplomatic Tensions

This current crisis follows an earlier period of fuel supply disruption in April 2025, when Algeria implemented a blockade on subsidized goods, including fuel, into Mali. This action was a response to military and diplomatic tensions, specifically after a Malian military drone was reportedly shot down by the Algerian army, impacting northern and central regions of Mali.