Filling Up Without Emptying Your Wallet: A Reality for Millions of Africans
Filling up your tank without breaking the bank is a daily reality for millions of Africans in certain countries on the continent. According to the monthly ranking by Global Petrol Prices, which tracks fuel prices in over 170 countries, several African countries are among the cheapest in the world.
Libya
It costs just $0.024 to fill up a liter of gasoline. Less than a bottle of water. This is the reality in Libya, which tops the Global Petrol Prices ranking - not just in Africa, but worldwide.
Angola and Algeria: Well-Endowed Neighbors
At $0.327, Angola is a good student. Algeria is not far behind, at $0.357 per liter. Sixth in the global ranking according to Global Petrol Prices, Algeria protects its citizens thanks to a subsidy policy that has been in place for decades. For an Algerian taxi driver or an Angolan farmer, this is a breath of fresh air in an often difficult daily life.
Egypt, Sudan, Nigeria
In Cairo, you can fill up for $0.462 per liter. In Sudan, it's $0.700. In Nigeria, it's $0.802. As the continent's largest oil producer, Nigeria could do better - but sabotage on pipelines, crude oil theft, and aging refineries are weighing down the industry. Nevertheless, the price remains contained. For millions of Nigerians who rely on transportation to live and work, this is no small thing.
Ethiopia, Tunisia, Niger, Liberia
Ethiopia has a price of $0.844, Tunisia $0.870. In Niamey, the capital of one of the poorest countries in the world, a liter of gasoline costs $0.886. Liberia closes out the top 10 at $0.910. These figures may seem modest, but they make a real difference for a trader who delivers goods or a family that takes the bus every morning.
Why Are These Prices So Low?
It's no accident. It's a choice. Public subsidies, national production, price control - these governments have decided that energy should not be a luxury. According to Global Petrol Prices, it's the local tax policies that make all the difference. Each country buys oil at the same global price. But what the state decides to absorb or pass on to the citizen, that's where it all plays out.
