Malawi launches black market fuel crackdown as prices soar
Malawi launched a nationwide crackdown on fuel hoarders and black market sellers amid shortages that have left truckers queuing for up to a week and bus fares doubling on some routes. Diesel and petrol have been scarce for weeks because the country lacks the hard currency to buy fuel supplies, prompting the central bank to sell off gold to pay suppliers and the government to return to the IMF for a bailout. Under the new measures, unlicensed resellers face arrest and stations caught hoarding can lose their licence.
Why it matters: It illustrates how energy security in import-dependent economies with thin buffers is shaped by crude prices and hard-currency shortages.