Motorists in Bamako formed long queues at fuel stations on Wednesday after days of closures and growing fears of a shortage. The crisis followed a blockade imposed last month by al-Qaeda-linked insurgents who disrupted fuel imports, choking the country’s vital supply lines.
Many stations in Mali’s capital were forced to shut or sell only diesel, deepening frustration among residents already grappling with economic hardship. The militant coalition Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) claimed responsibility, urging all importers from neighbouring Ivory Coast, Guinea, Senegal and Mauritania to halt shipments.
In recent days, major brands including Shell and Total went dry, leaving only a few independent stations to serve desperate motorcyclists and drivers. Authorities said a convoy of tankers from Ivory Coast had reached Bamako on Tuesday night, allowing some stations to reopen by Wednesday morning.
Videos shared online showed crowds and lengthy queues in other cities such as Segou, Mopti and San, as shortages spread across the country. One motorcyclist in Bamako said he had to push his bike for kilometres in search of fuel, pleading for swift government intervention.
Prime Minister Abdoulaye Maiga has formed a crisis committee to secure supply routes and protect convoys from insurgent attacks. Mali, already scarred by years of instability since a 2012 rebellion, remains under military rule following coups in 2020 and 2021.
Despite promises to restore order, violence has intensified, with insurgents striking military convoys and infrastructure across the north and centre. In mid-September, rebels ambushed a convoy of over 100 vehicles, destroying at least 40 fuel tankers and tightening their grip on the nation’s economy. The army has since blocked tankers from moving to dangerous regions, including dozens bound for the Allied Gold mine in western Mali.