CAR: Fuel Prices Revised Upward
The respite was short-lived for Central African consumers. Less than a year and a half after a previous increase, the government has once again raised fuel prices at the pump, ranging from 100 to 350 FCFA.
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Officially announced by the Minister of Energy and Hydraulics, Edwige Opportune Pouninguinza, the measure took effect at the beginning of October 2026, redrawing the pricing grid with an intensification of pressure on household and business budgets.
For individuals, the liter of super now stands at 1,150 FCFA, up from 1,050 FCFA previously, representing an increase of approximately 9.5%, while diesel surpasses the 1,400 FCFA mark after a 150 FCFA rise, reflecting a 12% increase.
The impact of this adjustment is even more pronounced for large consumers and industrial operators, subject to differentiated tariffs set at 1,500 FCFA for super and 1,650 FCFA for diesel. This decision places the Central African Republic at the top of the fuel cost scale within the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (Cemac).
As a reminder, the country had previously endured major tariff shocks at the beginning of 2023, marked by sharp price spikes before a partial moderation was introduced in May 2025.
This increase stems structurally from the Central African economy’s total dependence on imported refined products, combined with persistent geopolitical tensions in the Middle East that fuel volatility in global crude oil prices. Lacking domestic production capacity to cushion international price swings, the country bears the full brunt of transmission effects along its supply chain.
The measure poses an inflation risk, especially as the International Monetary Fund had projected a decline in consumer prices following tensions recorded in prior exercises. Coming at the precise moment when the National Assembly begins its budgetary work for the upcoming fiscal year, this adjustment forces the executive to navigate delicate trade-offs, while turning its gaze toward external support—such as traditional solidarity hydrocarbon deliveries from strategic partners aimed at alleviating supply tensions.
Nlend Flore
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