For nearly a year, Ségou has been grappling with a severe fuel shortage that’s bringing daily life and economic activity to a standstill.

Since September 2025, the central Malian city of Ségou, located over 200 kilometers from Bamako, has been experiencing a chronic fuel shortage that’s severely disrupting daily life and economic activity.

Insufficient supply creates chronic shortages

Fuel deliveries to Ségou depend entirely on escorted convoys from the Malian Armed Forces, which only manage to transport fuel twice or three times per month due to persistent security challenges in the region.

When supplies finally arrive, a fleet of over ten tanker trucks enters the city. Most of the fuel is allocated to industrial producers and Énergie du Mali (EDM), the national electricity company. Only three or four trucks are subsequently directed to service stations, whose reserves are typically exhausted within 48 hours.

Local residents report frequent stockouts at service stations and warn that the persistent supply issues are fueling a thriving black market for gasoline.

Black market thrives amid shortages

As soon as service stations run dry, informal vendors step in. Across several districts of Ségou, gasoline is being sold at prices between 2,000 and 5,000 West African CFA francs per liter – far exceeding official rates.

Many residents suspect that opportunistic dealers are exploiting the crisis to reap substantial profits, operating openly without fear of consequences.

Local economy bearing the brunt

The fuel shortage is having a dramatic impact on the local economy and residents’ mobility. Unusual declines in activity have been observed along the city’s main thoroughfares.

Public transport has been particularly hard hit. Fares for local tricycles, known locally as katakatani, have doubled from 100 to 200 West African CFA francs, making daily commutes increasingly difficult for students, teachers, and workers alike.

In response, the Malian Armed Forces have intensified patrols and roadblocks to intercept vehicles transporting large quantities of fuel to distant locations. Despite these measures, residents continue to demand a sustainable solution to a crisis that’s daily weakening Ségou’s economic fabric.