A growing number of motorists in Nairobi and Machakos County are struggling to get fuel as petrol stations report long lines and uneven supply, with rising fear of shortages pushing more people to rush for fuel than usual.
The situation was confirmed by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) after field inspections conducted on Friday, April 10, 2026, across different stations in the two regions.
EPRA said its surveillance and enforcement teams visited multiple petrol stations to assess availability and compliance, noting that while several stations were still selling fuel, others had already run out and were waiting for fresh deliveries.
“Our Surveillance and Enforcement team from the Nairobi region conducted inspections at various petrol stations in Nairobi and Machakos counties to check compliance and confirm fuel availability,” EPRA said.
“While most stations had fuel, a few were out of stock but indicated they were awaiting resupply.”
The regulator attributed the growing queues at fuel stations mainly to panic buying by motorists reacting to fears of shortages, even though fuel is still present within the supply chain. It, however, acknowledged that delays in moving fuel from depots to retail stations have slowed distribution.
In Nairobi, major storage and loading points including the National Oil terminal and facilities operated by Kenya Pipeline Company in the Industrial Area are experiencing heavy congestion, with tanker queues causing slower dispatch of fuel to stations. These depots are the main link between imported fuel arriving through the Port of Mombasa and inland distribution.
EPRA noted that despite the congestion, there is no evidence of an actual shortage at the depot level, stressing that the current challenge is a breakdown in distribution flow rather than a lack of fuel.
Critically, however, the regulator noted that “No station reported a lack of fuel supply at the depots”, a distinction it says separates a distribution bottleneck from an actual supply crisis.
Earlier in the week, petrol station operators in Nairobi had raised concern that their stocks were running low and warned that they might not meet demand if deliveries continued to slow. This warning has since fueled more anxiety among motorists, leading to increased demand at stations still in operation.
Some drivers have reported paying as much as Sh200 per litre of petrol in areas where fuel is still available, reflecting pressure in the market as supply becomes uneven.
At the same time, EPRA has stepped up enforcement against oil marketing companies accused of restricting fuel distribution and contributing to artificial shortages. In a directive issued on April 8, 2026, the authority said it had received complaints that some firms were holding back supply to independent dealers while anticipating a price increase.
Preliminary findings indicate that some oil marketing companies have been prioritizing selected outlets while denying stock to non-franchised retailers, a practice EPRA says violates petroleum regulations.
“This practice is tantamount to hoarding and is an offence under Section 99(1)(k) of the Petroleum Act No. 2 of 2019 (Cap 308). Further, EPRA has found out that a number of OMCS are charging ex-depot or wholesale prices higher than the recommended caps, which is also an offence under Section 99 (1)(n) of the Petroleum Act,” read part of the letter signed by EPRA acting DG Engineer Joseph Oketch.
EPRA warned that companies found guilty could face fines starting from Sh1 million, jail terms of at least one year, or both. It further cautioned that firms charging above approved wholesale prices risk penalties of up to Sh10 million or imprisonment of up to five years, with possible licence cancellation for repeat offenders.
The regulator says it will continue monitoring the situation as queues persist and pressure on supply chains remains high in affected regions.