By Fatou Sillah
The Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Nani Juwara, has assured the public that The Gambia will not face fuel shortages, despite rising global prices attributed to international conflicts, including tensions between Iran and the United States.
Speaking in an interview with the Gambia Radio and Television Service (GRTS), the minister said the government has put in place strategic measures to ensure consistent fuel availability in the country.
“The Gambian government does not have control over this. We utilize strategy; that is why no matter how difficult things are, we are still not lacking fuel,” he stated.
He explained that fuel importation in The Gambia is carried out by licensed private companies, while government institutions play a regulatory and coordination role to safeguard supply stability.
“The government does not buy fuel to bring it to the country; we have licensed companies that are responsible for ordering fuel and gasoline, and they buy it from traders outside the country,” he said.
According to Minister Juwara, global fuel prices have nearly doubled as a result of ongoing conflicts, significantly increasing import costs. He noted that before the recent escalation, fuel was priced at around $90 per metric ton and gasoline at $100 per metric ton. These figures have now risen to approximately $210 and $240 per metric ton, respectively.
Despite these increases, the minister emphasized that the government continues to engage closely with suppliers to prevent disruptions in supply.
He acknowledged that even some larger economies are experiencing fuel shortages and rationing challenges.
“Even in other big countries, people are lining up just to buy fuel; some go to the extent that they turn off streetlights at night because of a lack of fuel,” he said.
He maintained that The Gambia’s procurement strategy has helped preserve stability in fuel availability.
“We make sure that we discuss with our business partners to ensure that the country does not lack fuel and gasoline no matter what,” he said.
While expressing concern over rising global prices, he stressed that the government has no control over international market dynamics, even in oil-producing countries where prices have also increased.
“Government is not happy about the increase in oil prices, but we do not have control over the price; even countries that are producing oil have increased prices,” he said.
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