Kenya's Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry announced on November 11, 2026 that the temporary waiver allowing petrol and diesel with up to 50 mg/kg sulphur will be extended for a further six months.
The extension keeps the sulphur ceiling at 50 mg/kg for both KS EAS 177:2025 Automotive Gas Oil and KS EAS 158:2025-Automotive Gasoline Premium Motor Spirit, the same level first introduced at the end of April 2026.
Trade Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui said the decision follows a technical assessment of ongoing geopolitical uncertainty in the Middle East and related disruptions to global petroleum supply chains, including the Strait of Hormuz.
Kinyanjui added that the measure is intended to widen available sources of compliant fuel and safeguard Kenya against supply shortages, describing it as a temporary step to maintain uninterrupted fuel availability and protect economic stability.
The waiver was originally granted on April 30, 2026 after the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum requested it and the National Standards Council recommended it, to address reduced availability of fuel meeting the standard 10 mg/kg limit due to war-related damage to Middle-East refineries and shipping disruptions.
Kinyanjui told senators that fuel import options had been compromised and that the choice was between perfect quality and availability, noting that supply problems could last one or two years.
The extension will be reviewed at the end of the six-month period or earlier if global supply conditions improve, though the statement does not specify whether the new period starts from the original expiry in October 2026 or from the announcement date, meaning the limit could end between the end of April and mid-May 2027.
The temporary limit of 50 mg/kg is the same fuel level that Kenya used before moving to the 10 mg/kg standard in August 2025, and it remains unchanged for most vehicles, though newer diesel engines with particulate filters are designed for cleaner fuel.
The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority continues to cap pump prices at KSh226.96 per litre for super petrol and KSh227.76 per litre for diesel until November 14, after which the next review is due.
