African nation declares energy emergency

Madagascar is facing a deep crisis, particularly in areas where supplies usually come from the Middle East, the government has said

Madagascar has declared a state of energy emergency for 15 days, citing a worsening fuel supply crisis and disrupted shipments caused by bad weather and the conflict in the Middle East.

The move comes as the wider African energy squeeze deepens amid the US-Israel war against Iran and the resulting disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping chokepoint. A recent joint report by the African Union, the UN Economic Commission for Africa, and the World Bank warned that the conflict risked turning a trade shock into a broader cost-of-living crisis across Africa through higher fuel and food prices, rising transport costs, and pressure on already fragile currencies.

In a statement on Tuesday, Madagascar’s cabinet said the southern African country is “facing a deep crisis due to disruptions in energy supply across the island,” with the island of Nosy Be, where the supply usually comes from the Middle East, among the hardest-hit areas.

”The declaration of a state of energy emergency allows authorities to take exceptional and urgent measures to restore energy supply and ensure the continuity of public services,” the government stated.

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Other African governments have already rolled out emergency steps in response to rising global energy prices. South Africa announced a temporary R3 ($0.16) per liter cut to fuel levies from April 1 to May 5 to cushion the impact.

Senegal has banned non-essential foreign travel by ministers as surging oil prices strain the budget, while Kenya has said it is closely monitoring fuel, fertilizer, trade, and port flows to prevent supply disruptions.

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On Tuesday, Afreximbank announced that it has approved a $10 billion Gulf Crisis Response Programme to “insulate African and Caribbean economies, financial institutions and corporates from the impacts of the ongoing Gulf crisis.”

Nigeria’s Dangote refinery has also said it is ramping up fuel and fertilizer exports to African markets to ease some of the pressure. Its owner, Aliko Dangote, said the 650,000-barrel-per-day refinery is operating at full capacity and has already shipped 17 gasoline cargoes across the continent as buyers sought alternatives to disrupted Middle East supply.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has announced a two-week ceasefire to negotiate a long-term peace agreement, which could ease shipping in Hormuz.