Bamako, Mali — For nearly two months, Mali’s capital has been grappling with a worsening shortage of petrol and diesel, as armed jihadist groups tighten their grip on key supply routes and opposition leaders accuse the ruling junta of failing to protect the nation.
The al-Qaeda–linked Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) has been blamed for orchestrating the crisis by blocking fuel corridors into Bamako and attacking tankers, including incidents where fuel trucks were set ablaze before reaching the capital. The resulting scarcity has driven up prices, disrupted transport, and slowed economic activity in a city already strained by years of insecurity.
Opposition figures are now warning Malians to “open their eyes” to what they describe as a regime that has “seized the nation” without providing basic security or economic stability. They argue that the fuel shortage exposes the limitations of the military-led government’s promise to restore order after taking power in a series of coups.
Transitional President General Assimi Goïta has called for national unity, describing the situation as the result of a “terrorist threat” aimed at destabilising the state and undermining public confidence. He insists the government is working to secure alternative routes and protect convoys bringing fuel into the country.
However, his message has been undercut by attempts from Mali’s foreign minister to downplay the crisis, insisting there is no formal blockade of the capital — a claim at odds with long queues at filling stations, informal fuel markets, and widespread reports of rationing.
The deteriorating security climate and fuel shortages have prompted multiple foreign governments to advise their citizens to leave Mali, spotlighting international concern over the scale of the crisis and the junta’s ability to contain it.
The political backdrop is equally tense. In July, Goïta pushed through a law extending the military-led transition until at least 2030, effectively prolonging his stay in power and delaying a return to civilian rule. Critics say the prolonged transition, combined with deepening insecurity and economic hardship, risks locking Mali into a cycle of authoritarianism and instability.
For ordinary Malians in Bamako, the crisis is being felt most immediately at fuel pumps, on packed buses, and in soaring transport costs — daily reminders that the battle between jihadist groups and the state is now constricting not just territory, but the country’s economic lifeline.
