Electricity Restrictions in South Sudan and Mauritius
South Sudan and Mauritius have implemented measures to restrict electricity consumption due to a fuel crisis triggered by the ongoing conflict involving the US and Israel in Iran. This crisis is impacting several African countries.
In South Sudan, electricity rationing has commenced in the capital city, Juba, while Mauritius has introduced restrictions aimed at reducing electricity wastage, particularly in areas with high power consumption.
On Wednesday, Juba's primary electricity distributor, Jedco, announced that parts of the city would experience daily power outages on a rotational basis.
"Due to the ongoing Iran-US conflict... Jedco must proactively manage its available energy reserves... we are prioritising a strategic rationing of power," the company stated.
The island nation of Mauritius relies heavily on oil imports for electricity generation. A shortage of oil has reportedly led to an energy emergency.
The government reported that an expected oil shipment over the weekend failed to arrive, leaving Mauritius with only 21 days of oil stock remaining.
Energy Minister Patrick Assirvaden indicated on Monday that alternative fuel supplies had been secured from Singapore, scheduled to arrive on 1 April, with additional shipments later in the month, although these come at a higher cost.
South Sudan possesses some of East Africa's largest oil reserves; however, most of its crude oil is exported, and the country imports refined petroleum products necessary for fuel. According to the International Energy Agency, South Sudan generates 96% of its electricity from oil.
The current power rationing is in addition to intermittent outages ongoing since May of the previous year due to maintenance activities.
Jedco has released a schedule detailing the areas affected by the rationing.
Fuel Alternatives and Price Measures in Zimbabwe
In response to the fuel shortages, Zimbabwe announced plans to increase the ethanol content in its petrol from 5% to 20%.
The government has also declared intentions to remove certain taxes on fuel imports to alleviate rising fuel prices, which have surged by 40% in less than a month.
Nicole Mazarura, a street vendor in Harare, described the economic impact of the conflict in Iran on local prices.
"If transport costs go back to where they were, I can survive," she said. "I can't raise the price of the drinks, so I have to bear the loss, while my transport costs have doubled depending on the time of day and where I order my products from."
Fuel Supply Challenges in Kenya and Uganda
In Kenya, approximately 20% of petrol stations are reportedly experiencing supply shortages.
An association representing petroleum retailers attributed this to increased demand driven by panic buying, resulting in low stock levels.
Vivo Energy Kenya, the distributor of Shell products and services in the country, stated on Thursday that heightened demand caused "temporary stock-outs" at some service stations. The company is monitoring the situation and working to replenish fuel at affected locations.
Kenya's energy ministry denied claims of a fuel shortage on Wednesday, accusing retailers of hoarding fuel in anticipation of price increases.
Energy Minister Opiyo Wandayi urged the public not to engage in panic buying.
Neighboring Uganda has assured its citizens that the government is taking steps to ensure sufficient fuel supplies amid reports of shortages. Authorities have warned fuel distributors against raising prices.
South Africa's Fuel Status and Regional Shipping Impacts
South African officials have stated that the country currently has adequate fuel supplies but cautioned that a prolonged conflict could affect availability and prices in the coming months.
"South Africa's fuel supply remains stable in the immediate term, and there is no basis for panic buying," an official government statement said on Thursday.
However, some ports and marine services in southern and eastern Africa may experience increased activity as tankers and containers avoid the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz, opting to navigate around the Cape of Good Hope.
"The new longer routes are going to put increasing pressure on many of the offshore port areas in southern Africa – Walvis Bay, Cape Town, Durban, Maputo, Dar es Salaam," said Timothy Walker, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Security Studies.
"Ships will potentially be looking to stop there and resupply themselves, pick up new food supplies or new crew," he told the BBC.
Nigeria's Oil Production and Economic Considerations
Africa's second-largest oil producer, Nigeria, could benefit from higher oil prices and has offered to increase oil production to meet global demand.
Despite potential increased revenue for the government and oil companies, ordinary citizens may not experience immediate benefits due to rising international petrol prices, which lead to increased transport costs nationwide.
"Ordinary people may not feel the benefit immediately because if international petrol prices rise, transport costs increase everywhere," said Dumebi Oluwole, a lead economist from Lagos specializing in oil.
Additional reporting by Makuochi Okafor, Marco Oriunto, and Hafsa Khalil.
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