A fuel crisis of growing severity is disrupting daily life and transport across Ethiopia, with diesel — the lifeblood of the country’s road transport network — all but vanishing from filling stations in Addis Ababa and beyond.
Scenes of hundreds of trucks, buses, and private cars queued for hours at fuel stations have become routine across major Ethiopian cities over the past fortnight, signalling the depth of a crisis that shows little sign of easing in the near term.
Workers Ordered to Stay Home
In one of its most striking responses yet, the Ethiopian government has directed all public institutions and state-owned enterprises to identify non-essential employees and place them on compulsory annual leave — an extraordinary measure aimed squarely at cutting transport demand.
Some organisations have moved faster than others. The Ethio Engineering Group has already issued an internal directive instructing non-critical staff to remain at home and rely on commercial transport for any necessary office visits.
What’s Behind the Shortage?
The crisis traces back to a significant disruption in global oil supply chains. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz — triggered by US-Israeli military operations in Iran — has choked one of the world’s most vital oil shipping corridors, sending crude prices to levels not seen since the COVID-19 pandemic peak. Analysts are now warning prices could surpass USD 200 per barrel before June if the situation remains unresolved.
Ethiopia, which was already importing over USD 4 billion worth of fuel annually — roughly one-fifth of its entire import bill — is acutely exposed to these global price shocks.
The crisis is not Ethiopia’s alone. The Philippines has declared a national energy emergency, Thailand has implemented work-from-home policies, and Vietnam’s national airline is cutting back on flights in response to the same pressures now battering East Africa.
Aviation and the Bishoftu Airport Project Feel the Heat
For travellers and the aviation sector, the implications are significant. The Ethiopian government has already begun rationing fuel allocations, prioritising large national projects including the new international airport being developed in Bishoftu. That project alone is reported to require more than 15 million litres of fuel per month — a staggering figure at a time of acute scarcity.
Further conservation measures from federal authorities are widely expected in the coming weeks.
Ethiopia Eyes EVs and Gas as the Long-Term Fix
Beyond crisis management, Addis Ababa is accelerating a longer-term energy transition. A document published this week by the Ministry of Finance and the Ethiopian Investment Commission sets out an ambitious plan to convert the country’s entire public vehicle fleet to electric vehicles by 2030. Authorities are also encouraging transport operators to shift to compressed natural gas (CNG) as an interim alternative to diesel.
Whether those long-term plans can ease the immediate pain on Ethiopia’s roads — and at its airports — remains to be seen.