The Malian government held another meeting in Bamako on Thursday, May 21, 2026, dedicated to monitoring the country’s supply of petroleum products.
The week-on-week decline in incoming volumes highlights the fragility of a supply chain essential
to the functioning of the national economy.
The Malian Minister of Industry and Trade, Moussa Alassane Diallo, chaired the 22nd consultation meeting with stakeholders in the hydrocarbons sector.
This meeting is part of the ongoing monitoring of fuel supplies, in a context marked by traffic difficulties on certain routes, strong domestic demand, and persistent tensions on logistics
corridors.
According to the figures released, Mali recorded the arrival of 665 tankers between May 4 and 10, for a total volume of 31,168,500 litres of hydrocarbons.
Between May 11 and 17, 609 tankers crossed the country’s borders, representing 27,442,000 litres. In one week, the flow decreased by 56 tankers, a drop of approximately 3.7 million liters.
This decrease does not signify a disruption in supply, but it highlights the vulnerability of the national logistics system.
Flows remain highly dependent on several factors: road safety, the availability of carriers, escort arrangements, border delays, and the ability of operators to maintain regular rotations.
In a landlocked country like Mali, any disruption to supply corridors can quickly affect service stations, transportation, markets, public services, and all economic activities. Hydrocarbons, in fact, play a strategic role in the country’s functioning; they power private vehicles, public transportation, freight trucks, generators, a portion of electricity production, healthcare facilities, industrial units,
and agricultural activities.
Prolonged fuel shortages could lead to price increases, slow travel, disrupt supply chains, and exacerbate the daily hardships faced by households.
The meeting provided an opportunity to assess the situation along supply routes, incoming flows, and the responses to the observed difficulties.
Minister Moussa Alassane Diallo emphasised the need to maintain constant vigilance throughout the entire chain, from the arrival of tankers to final distribution.
The stated objective remains to ensure a regular availability of petroleum products across the country, despite security and logistical constraints.
For several months, the authorities have been holding numerous consultations with industry professionals to prevent shortages and mitigate the effects of the crisis.
These meetings allow for monitoring volumes, identifying bottlenecks, coordinating importers,
transporters, and distributors, and preventing speculative practices.
They also aim to reassure consumers in a context where rumors of shortages can quickly lead to price increases and long lines at gas stations.
However, the situation remains closely linked to road security.
Attacks targeting trucks, freight convoys, and certain strategic routes demonstrate that armed groups are also seeking to destabilise the economy by targeting mobility and trade flows.
Fuel thus appears as a national security issue as much as a strategic economic commodity.
To maintain stable supply, the government will have to act simultaneously on several fronts: securing corridors, supporting transporters, strengthening stock control, improving distribution in
the regions, and combating hoarding and speculation.
The long-term stability of the market will depend primarily on the regularity of imports and the authorities’ ability to protect convoys on strategic routes.
The meeting concluded with the decision to maintain regular monitoring of the flow, stocks and distribution of petroleum products, with increased vigilance on the main supply routes.
MD/te/Sf/fss/APA