Kenya’s energy minister has called an emergency meeting with oil marketers as concerns grow over potential disruptions to the country’s fuel supply amid rising tensions in the Middle East.

Opiyo Wandayi, the Cabinet Secretary for Energy and Petroleum, said the meeting would take place on Tuesday as part of the government’s efforts to reassure the public and coordinate with industry players.

Speaking during the official listing of Kenya Pipeline Company on the Nairobi Securities Exchange on March 10, Mr Wandayi said authorities were closely engaging international suppliers to maintain stable fuel supplies.

“We continue to engage very closely with our government-to-government suppliers — that is Saudi Aramco, ADNOC and ENOC — in terms of contingency planning,” he said.

“For that reason, there is really no cause for alarm. In the short to medium term, we have security of supply, and we continue to monitor the situation very closely.”

Watching global tensions

The government’s move comes as instability in the Middle East threatens to disrupt global energy markets.

Iran has warned it could close the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil passes. Any disruption there could ripple through international fuel markets and affect import-dependent countries such as Kenya.

Kenya produces little crude oil and relies heavily on imported refined petroleum products.

To secure supplies, the government renewed a government-to-government fuel import agreement last year with major Gulf suppliers, including Saudi Aramco, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company and Emirates National Oil Company.

Tanker under watch

Authorities are also tracking a fuel tanker expected to load in the Red Sea in the coming days.

According to Daniel Kiptoo, head of the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority, the vessel is scheduled to take on fuel later this week before sailing to Kenya.

Officials expect the shipment to reach the Kenyan coast in early April.

Mr Kiptoo said the monitoring was a precaution due to shifting shipping routes and rising transport costs as vessels avoid conflict zones.

Global ripple effects

The uncertainty reflects a wider global concern. The conflict in the Middle East has already pushed oil and gas prices higher in several markets.

Speaking to the Financial Times earlier this month, Saad bin Sherida Al Kaabi warned that escalating tensions could force some Gulf exporters to halt shipments if the conflict spreads.

Such a scenario would strain fuel supply chains worldwide.

For Kenya, the stakes are high. Petrol and diesel imports underpin transport, power generation and agriculture across the country.

The emergency consultations also come just days before the next fuel price review by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority, scheduled for March 14.

While officials insist supplies remain stable, the government appears keen to prevent panic in a market already sensitive to global shocks.

For now, the message from Nairobi is clear: the situation is being watched closely — and the country, officials say, still has fuel in the tank.