Fuel price surge in Senegal sparks debate on energy subsidies

Government Adjusts Fuel Prices Amid Global Market Turmoil

Starting Saturday, 15 August 2026, Senegal will see a sharp increase in fuel prices, with supercarburant rising by 70 F CFA and gasoil by 75 F CFA per litre. The Ministry of Energy and Petroleum attributes this decision to the volatile oil market, driven by ongoing tensions in the Middle East.

International crude prices have surged dramatically since mid-July, with gasoil climbing by 26.6% and supercarburant by 12%. Since the conflict escalated, these increases now stand at 69% for gasoil and 61% for supercarburant, putting immense pressure on domestic fuel costs.

To mitigate these rising expenses, the Senegalese government—already spending over 245 billion F CFA on subsidies since January—has opted to revert to pre-December 2025 pricing. Effective immediately, supercarburant will cost 990 F CFA per litre, while gasoil will be priced at 755 F CFA per litre. Other petroleum derivatives will remain unaffected by this adjustment.

The Ministry notes that without this intervention, subsidies for the period between 15 August and 12 September 2026 would have ballooned to nearly 47.27 billion F CFA.