Does Zimbabwe have the most expensive fuel in the region? We checked.

CLAIM: Zimbabwe’s fuel prices are the most exorbitant compared to other countries in the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

SOURCE: Newsday

VERDICT: TRUE

On Thursday, October 12^th, the Newsday newspaper ran an article claiming that Zimbabwe charges fuel at prices that are way higher than other countries in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.

Part of that article reads.

“Zimbabwe’s fuel prices are the most exorbitant compared to other countries in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) due to a market monopoly, says the latest report by a social justice watchdog, Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development (Zimcodd).”

The report quoted by Newsday was published as a monthly economic review for September 2023. It states that, ‘Zimbabwe’s fuel pump prices remain too high relative to the SADC regional average. This is attributable to the prevailing monopoly ethanol market, high fuel taxes, subdued competition, lack of adequate fuel infrastructure and vested interests.’

How much is fuel in Zimbabwe?

Fuel prices are set by the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) and can be found on their website here. For a litre of petrol one has to pay US$1.65 or local currency equivalent at the prevailing bank rate while a litre of diesel is set at  US$1.79.

How much is fuel in other SADC countries? 

Zimbabwe tops the list in Africa even though on petrol Seychelles is a cent more expensive at $1,66. It is followed by Malawi  charging US$1.50 for petrol and US$1.65 for diesel. Mauritius is also high on the list as it demands US$1.56 for petrol while diesel costs US$1.44.

Angola has the cheapest fuel in Africa as petrol costs US$0.36 while diesel is as low as US$0.16.

Here is a table of fuel prices for SADC countries according to fuel price tracker, GlobalPetrolPrices.com as at October 12^th 2023. More details about the list on petrol and diesel prices can be found  here and here respectively.

Conclusion

Zimbabwe has the most expensive fuel in SADC. Diesel goes at an average price of US$1.79 per litre and an average price of petrol per litre is US$1.65. Even though, the quoted report by ZIMCODD does not say ‘Zimbabwe’s fuel prices are the most exorbitant compared to other countries in the Southern African Development Community’ but that ‘Zimbabwe’s fuel pump prices remain too high relative to the SADC regional average’, the claim has been rated true as other rankings do put it as the most expensive.