The Republic of Niger has banned the export of premium petrol and diesel in a move to prioritise domestic fuel supply amid growing concerns over disruptions in global petroleum markets.
The directive was issued by the Minister of Trade and Industry, Abdoulaye Seydou, through a ministerial order, according to a report published on the ministry’s official Facebook account on Saturday, October 17.
Niger joins countries such as China, Thailand and Kyrgyzstan in restricting refined petroleum product exports amid supply disruptions linked to the ongoing conflict involving Iran. The West African country shares a southern border with Nigeria.
Under the new directive, the government has ordered that domestically produced petrol and diesel be prioritised for local consumption before exports can be considered.
However, the order allows the export of surplus petrol and diesel by SONIDEP and SORAZ, provided they obtain special authorisation from the Minister of Trade.
“The export of diesel and premium petrol from Niger is hereby prohibited,” Article 1 of the ministerial order stated.
SONIDEP, Niger’s state-owned petroleum company, is responsible for purchasing, storing, distributing and marketing petroleum products across the country.
SORAZ, the Société de Raffinage de Zinder, operates Niger’s Zinder refinery, which has a processing capacity of about 20,000 barrels per day.
The government also authorised officials of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, customs authorities, and defence and security personnel to detect violations of the directive and enforce penalties in accordance with existing laws.
The restriction comes amid fuel supply disruptions affecting filling stations in Niamey, Niger’s capital.
With the ongoing conflict in the Middle East disrupting global energy markets, several governments have imposed restrictions on refined petroleum product exports to safeguard domestic supplies and curb rising fuel costs.
On Friday, October 16, Brent crude oil briefly climbed to $110 per barrel for the first time since May, driven by renewed concerns over supply disruptions in the Middle East and attacks on Russian energy infrastructure.
