The Malian government has adopted several legal texts establishing a national security stock of petroleum products, APA learnt here on Friday.
The decision to build a national fuel reserve comes amid recurrent supply tensions, rising pump prices and repeated attacks on tanker convoys.
The mechanism aims to strengthen the country’s energy resilience against logistical disruptions and international market volatility.
Authorities plan to create storage capacity equivalent to 45 days of consumption for key products, including premium gasoline, diesel, Jet A1 and butane gas.
The initiative is being rolled out in a context of heavy reliance on imports.
According to data from the Ministry of Economy and Finance, petroleum product imports reached 2,665,106 cubic metres in 2024, up from 2,621,513 m³ in 2023 — a 1.66 percent increase.
The rise was even sharper for butane gas, with volumes climbing from 13,847 tonnes to 15,838 tonnes, a 14.38 percent jump.
Through this system, the authorities intend to better shield the national economy from supply shortages and swings in global prices.
In recent months, the State has had to mobilise substantial subsidies to curb fuel price increases.
Since the last tariff revision, the price of premium gasoline has been set at 875 FCFA per litre and diesel at 940 CFA francs, compared with 775 CFA and 725 CFA previously.
The measure also comes against a backdrop of heightened security concerns.
Between late 2025 and early 2026, several large-scale convoys of 300 to 400 tankers had to be escorted to ensure fuel supplies reached Bamako.
The January attack on a convoy in the west of the country, which claimed several lives, highlighted the persistent vulnerability of the supply chain.
For the authorities, the challenge is now twofold: guaranteeing the continuity of essential services, particularly electricity and transport, while reducing the country’s exposure to external shocks and regional security risks.
MD/te/Sf/lb/jn/APA