Prime Minister Dr. Justin Nsengiyumva has announced that Rwanda will receive its first shipment of petroleum products amounting to 40,000 tonnes by the end of July 2026.
He made this announcement on Thursday, July 9, 2026, while presenting the Government’s activities to Parliament under the theme: “Strengthening Rwanda’s Resilience to Internal and External Shocks.”
The announcement comes against the backdrop of instability in the Middle East, following the conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States, which has had various impacts on countries across the world.
Prime Minister Dr. Justin Nsengiyumva said: “Among those challenges is the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of global petroleum products pass, as well as the introduction of a 10% baseline tariff on goods entering the United States of America, starting in 2025.”
He continued:“These developments disrupted international trade, causing shipping and commodity prices to rise, and reducing the flow of goods between countries.”
He noted that between February and June 2026, the price of a barrel of petroleum rose from $70 to over $126, causing petrol prices to rise by nearly 48% and diesel by 50%, with effects spreading across different sectors.
He said: “This price increase was followed by rises in transport costs, fertilizers, gas and food, increasing the cost of living, with households spending more on their daily needs, while the profits of businesses and industries declined.”
The Prime Minister said that to prevent petroleum product shortages on the market, the Government continued to invest in increasing petroleum storage capacity and supported petroleum traders in accessing credit so they could maintain their operations.
He noted that Rwanda currently has the capacity to store up to 118 million litres, with plans to increase this to 230 million litres by 2029.
He said: “This will help the country withstand disruptions from international markets and ensure a continuous supply of petroleum.”
Prime Minister Dr. Justin Nsengiyumva announced that to make petroleum imports easier and reduce prices in a sustainable way, the Government has put in place a coordinated bulk petroleum importation arrangement managed through the Rwanda National Energy Company.
He said the first shipment carrying 40,000 tonnes is expected to arrive at the Port of Tanga in Tanzania by the end of July 2026, and that Rwanda will receive a shipment every month going forward.
He said: “This will help us achieve lower and more stable prices over the long term.”
The Government of Rwanda has already invested approximately 48 billion Rwandan francs in a program to cushion the impact of rising petroleum prices through subsidies provided from March to June 2026.
Prime Minister Nsengiyumva said these subsidies were concentrated in the transportation of people and goods, adding: “These subsidies kept the price of diesel at 2,927 Rwandan francs per litre, instead of the actual market price of 3,600 Rwandan francs that would have applied.”
The Prime Minister highlighted that economic figures show Rwanda’s economy continues to demonstrate resilience. In the first quarter of 2026, it grew by 10%, compared to growth of 9.4% in 2025.
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