• The erratic Kerosene supply is attributed to the placing of Indeni Oil Refinery under care and maintenance.
• All kerosene products are being imported by selected Oil Marketing Companies.
• In order to secure the supply of Kerosene on the market, the ERB will continue to monitor the situation.
Energy Regulation Board (ERB) has acknowledged the intermittent supply of Kerosene being experienced at filling stations in some parts of the country.
Responding to Money FM’s Press Query, Board Public Relations Manager Namukolo Kasumpa attributed the erratic Kerosene supply to the placing of Indeni Oil Refinery under care and maintenance, as it was the main supplier of kerosene to the Zambian market.
Ms. Kasumpa said as a result, all kerosene products are now being imported by selected Oil Marketing Companies (OMC’s) who make business decisions whether or not to import the product due to the decline in demand for kerosene.
She stated that in order to secure the supply of Kerosene on the market, the ERB will continue to monitor the situation and advise Government as the main importers of petroleum products accordingly.
“The overall national demand for kerosene has been on the decline from an average daily consumption of 66,072 litres in 2011 to 25,790 litres in 2020 and subsequently 8,688 litres in 2021,”she explained.
Ms. Kasumpa added that the decrease in demand of the commodity is also due to the increased availability of close substitutes such as solar lamps, rise in the number of households connecting to the ZESCO national grid and the switch to more efficient sources of energy among others.
