One Petroleum Limited has announced that it has taken immediate steps to prevent a recently imported petroleum cargo from entering the Kenyan market, following consultations with the government.
In a statement dated April 7, 2026, the company said it was among four firms that had successfully responded to an emergency request issued by the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum in March.
“In March, One Petroleum Limited was one of four bidders that successfully responded to an emergency request issued by the Kenya Ministry of Energy and Petroleum,” the company said in its statement to media houses.
The firm confirmed that after further engagement with authorities, it had moved to halt distribution of the cargo, which had already been delivered into the country late last month.
“Following consultations with the Government, One Petroleum Limited confirms that it has forthwith taken steps to ensure that the petroleum cargo that was brought in on 27th March, 2026 via MT Paloma does not enter the Kenyan market,” the statement read.
The cargo in question was transported aboard the vessel MT Paloma, arriving in Kenya on March 27 under circumstances linked to the emergency procurement process.
The move comes after Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi ordered the immediate withdrawal of a 60,000-metric-tonne shipment of Super Petrol imported outside the Government-to-Government fuel supply system, warning that the move was necessary to protect Kenya’s pricing and supply stability.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Wandayi directed One Petroleum Ltd to recall all invoices linked to the consignment and remove the fuel from the country without delay.
He further instructed Oil Marketing Companies not to pay for or collect the shipment, stressing that allowing it into the market would disrupt the established supply framework.
The ministry said the cargo did not follow the procedures set under the G-to-G arrangement with international suppliers, raising concerns over compliance and pricing.
According to the ministry, the consignment was priced at Sh198,000 per metric tonne, far above the Sh140,000 per metric tonne under the current G-to-G system, creating a difference of Sh58,000 per metric tonne.
“This would result in an approximate rise of Sh14 per litre in pump prices on this consignment alone,” the ministry noted.
The G-to-G framework, introduced on March 10, 2023 through agreements with Aramco Trading, Fujairah FZE, ADNOC Global Trading Limited, and Emirates National Oil Company (Singapore) Private Limited, has been used to manage the importation of Super Petrol, Diesel, and Jet A1/Kerosene since April 2023.
The ministry said the arrangement has helped keep fuel prices stable, maintain product quality, and support the country’s foreign exchange position, especially at a time when global petroleum costs are rising and tensions in the Middle East remain high.
Wandayi warned that the government would act firmly against any actions that could interfere with the supply system or lead to unjustified price increases.
“One Petroleum Ltd is directed to exit this product out of Kenya as soon as possible,” he said.