How the Strait of Hormuz Crisis Is Crushing African Economies: Senegal and Kenya's Fuel Price Hikes, Subsidy Costs, and Risks Ahead

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz beginning on 28 February 2026 — after the US and Israeli air war against Iran triggered a near-total halt to shipping through the world's most critical energy chokepoint — has sent shockwaves through African economies that depend almost entirely on imported fuel . Senegal and Kenya, two of the continent's largest oil importers, have been among the hardest hit. Both countries have been forced to impose steep fuel price increases, drain their budgets on subsidies, and confront cascading risks to food security, inflation, and social stability .

Fuel Price Changes: From Price Holds to Record Highs

Senegal — For much of the crisis, Senegal held fuel prices steady, keeping gasoline at 920 CFA per liter (the highest in the West African Economic and Monetary Union) after a 70 CFA reduction in December 2025 . But by mid-August 2026, with subsidy costs spiraling out of control, the government raised regulated pump prices. Super petrol increased by 70 CFA francs to 990 CFA/liter and diesel by 75 CFA francs to 755 CFA/liter effective August 15, 2026. The government said the move was necessary to contain subsidy costs amid Middle East-driven oil market volatility . The increase simply returned prices to their level before the December cut, according to officials .

Kenya — Kenya's experience has been more volatile, with several price adjustments since the crisis began:

• April 2026 (first shock): The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) raised retail fuel prices by up to 23.5%, pushing super petrol to KSh 206.97 per liter and diesel to an all-time high of KSh 206.84 per liter in Nairobi. Diesel rose KSh 40.30 in a single pricing cycle — the largest-ever monthly increase .
• May–June 2026 (second wave): Prices rose again, with super petrol hitting KSh 214.25 per liter and diesel surging to KSh 242.92, a 17.4% jump in one window .
• July–August 2026 (stabilization via subsidy): EPRA held petrol at KSh 214.03, diesel at KSh 222.86, and kerosene at KSh 191.38 per liter, deploying KSh 945 million in subsidy support .
• August 15–September 14, 2026 (targeted relief): Diesel was reduced by KSh 5 to KSh 217.86 per liter, while petrol and kerosene remained unchanged. The government redirected subsidy support toward petrol and kerosene, effectively using diesel to cross-subsidize petrol users and preventing a potential rise of KSh 8.64 per liter .

Subsidy Spending: Billions Burned to Cushion the Blow

Senegal — Senegal's fiscal exposure has been extreme:

• The country initially budgeted 250 billion CFA francs (~$442 million) for fuel subsidies in 2026 .
• By mid-August 2026, downstream petroleum subsidies had already exceeded 245 billion CFA francs ($432 million) — nearly the entire annual allocation in just over seven months .
• Finance Minister Cheikh Diba warned in May 2026 that if crude prices hit $115/barrel, the subsidy bill could overshoot by as much as 1.15 trillion CFA francs (~$2 billion) — roughly one-fifth of the entire national budget . Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko told parliament that an additional 1 trillion CFA or more would be necessary . At an assumed $85/barrel, subsidy costs were already projected at 774 billion CFA .

Kenya — Kenya's spending has also been substantial:

• President William Ruto stated in May 2026 that the government had spent more than KSh 28 billion (~$217 million) in total fuel stabilization measures and tax relief interventions since the crisis began . Of that, KSh 13.74 billion went directly to fuel subsidies across the April–May and May–June pricing cycles .
• The government halved VAT on petroleum products from 16% to 8%, costing the Treasury an estimated KSh 14.43 billion in foregone revenue .
• In the July–August 2026 cycle alone, the government drew KSh 945 million from the Petroleum Development Levy Fund . In the August–September 2026 cycle, an additional KSh 938 million was deployed .
• Kenya also sought a potential $600 million loan from the World Bank to shield its economy from the shocks .

Broader Risks: The Structural Vulnerability Beneath the Prices

The crisis has done more than raise pump prices — it has exposed fundamental weaknesses in how African economies are built.

Acute fuel import dependency and low reserves. Kenya sources all its oil from the Middle East and holds only about 20 days of strategic reserves — rationing measures have already been introduced . An estimated 78.6% of manufacturers in Kenya reported being affected by shipping delays and higher insurance premiums . Senegal similarly relies heavily on imported refined products . Africa is the region most severely affected by the Strait disruption not because of crude import volumes (Asia is larger), but because of a structural deficiency in refining capacity: the continent imports a very high proportion of its refined petroleum product consumption, and Gulf refineries are almost entirely dependent on the Strait of Hormuz for export logistics .

Massive fiscal pressure. Both countries are burning through budgeted subsidy allocations at multiples of planned levels, squeezing spending on health, education, and infrastructure . Senegal's Finance Minister warned that every extra dollar on the oil price deepens the fiscal hole .

Spillover into food and transport costs. UNCTAD warned that even if the Strait reopens, vulnerable economies face prolonged increases in food and fertilizer costs because disrupted supply chains — freight contracts, transport networks, and insurance markets — take much longer to reset than energy markets . Higher fuel costs directly raise food production and distribution costs across the region. Daily ship transits through the Strait fell from about 125 to just 10 during the peak of the conflict, a 92% decrease .

Inflation and social unrest. Kenya's inflation hit 6.7% partly due to fuel costs, and protests over rising pump prices have already erupted . In mid-May 2026, matatu (minibus) drivers parked their vehicles in protest over the steep hikes . Senegal's price hikes risk similar social tensions .

Debt and balance-of-payments strain. UNCTAD estimated that a 50% increase in oil prices raises the annual net oil import bill of 65 vulnerable economies by roughly $20.4 billion, with $16.1 billion falling on least developed countries and $4.3 billion on small island developing states . This would widen current account deficits, weaken currencies, and deepen poverty for nearly a billion people .

A structural wake-up call. The crisis has laid bare Africa's near-total dependence on imported refined petroleum and the lack of domestic refining capacity, raising urgent questions about long-term energy security . The World Bank's April 2026 Commodity Markets Outlook projected a 16% rise in average commodity prices for the year — the first annual increase since 2022 — driven by the Strait's closure and its cascading effects on energy, fertilizer, and metals markets . As one analysis put it, the crisis has turned a distant geopolitical shock into a daily reality for millions of Africans: higher transport costs, more expensive food, and governments forced to choose between subsidies and everything else.