In the petroleum subsector, total consumption increased by 9.3% in the first half of 2024, reaching 839,357.02 MT, compared to 768,145.03 MT in 2023. Key drivers of this growth included a notable 31.6 percent rise in LPG consumption and a 14.1 percent increase in Gasoil.
Additionally, Jet A-1 consumption rose by 13 percent. However, there were declines in Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO), which dropped by 52.3 percent, from 11,258.98 MT in 2023 to 5,366.91 MT in 2024. Avgas declined by 26.4 percent from 351.71 MT in 2023 to 258.82 MT in 2024. Kerosene fell by 14.9 percent amounting to 1,452.98 MT in 2024, down from 1,708.26 MT in 2023.
Petrol consumption remained stable with 0.3 percent change between the two years. This performance highlights both growth in demand for cleaner fuels and a decline in heavier petroleum products.
Market share in 2024 was concentrated, with the top three OMCs, Puma Energy Zambia Plc, Mount Meru Zambia Limited and Totalenergies Zambia Limited accounting for a combined market share of 58.3 percent of white petroleum products.
Petrol prices in 2024 ranged from a minimum of K29.98/litre to a maximum of K35.56/litre, with an average price of K32.92/litre.
This shows a significant increase compared to the 2023 range, where prices fluctuated between K24.45/litre and K28.52/litre, with an average of K26.64/litre. Low Sulphur Gasoil (Diesel) prices for 2024 varied between K28.78/litre and K32.15/litre, averaging K30.06/litre. This marks an increase from 2023, when prices ranged from K21.87/litre to K29.25/litre, with an average of K26.29/litre.
Established infrastructure for petroleum import and processing include the 1,710-kilometre TAZAMA pipeline, jointly owned by Zambia (as major shareholder) and Tanzania which runs from Dar es Salaam in Tanzania to Ndola and INDENI Petroleum Refinery with a design capacity of 1.1 million tonnes per annum. Other facilities are Bulk Fuel Depots listed below:
No. Description Capacity (Million Litres)
- Ndola Fuel Terminal 110
- Lusaka Fuel Depot 25
- Solwezi Fuel Depot 15.5
- Mpika Fuel Depot 6.5
- Mongu Fuel Depot 6.5
- Mansa Fuel Depot 6.5
Total 170