CSO’s Alphonso Manley Accuses Oil Marketers of Fuel Scarcity Plot to Push Prices Higher
A civil society leader accused oil marketers of manufacturing a fuel crisis to force pump prices higher, urging the government to reject their proposal and hold prices steady.
Alphonso Manley, chairman of the Civil Society Organization on Petroleum, said oil marketing companies formally proposed an increase in petroleum product prices during a meeting at the Office of the Vice President. The meeting has not been independently confirmed by government officials.
Manley called on the government to freeze fuel prices, arguing that any necessary adjustments can be absorbed within the existing pricing formula rather than passed to consumers. “Our message to the government is simple: freeze fuel prices,” he said, speaking on AYV Media’s Wake Up Sierra Leone program.
He warned that any pump price increase would ripple across the entire economy, driving up transportation costs and the price of goods nationwide. Manley also said some traders exploit fuel price announcements to raise prices on unrelated goods without justification.
Manley further alleged that the National Petroleum Regulatory Authority has abandoned its practice of inspecting filling stations and testing storage tanks to verify fuel availability-a lapse he said is fueling artificial scarcity.
However, recent reports indicate NPRA has intensified nationwide inspections of filling stations, monitoring stock levels and enforcing compliance with quality, safety and measurement standards. In July 2026, NPRA and the National Consumer Protection Commission launched a joint nationwide spot-check of fuel stations following consumer complaints about short-selling.
The regulatory authority has also reported significant infrastructure gains. Storage capacity has nearly doubled from 124,000 metric tons to 237,000 metric tons, and the national import cycle has extended from 10 days to 42 days, according to NPRA Director General Brima M. Baluwa Koroma.
Fuel pricing remains a politically sensitive issue in Sierra Leone. The government has subsidized petroleum products at approximately US$1.6 million monthly since April 2026 to cushion consumers from global price shocks, according to statements from Manley’s consortium.
Pump prices have fluctuated repeatedly-petrol rose to NLe40 per litre in September 2026 following what the government described as supply disruptions after several oil marketing companies reduced or halted sales.
Manley’s organization has previously urged the public to rely only on official information regarding fuel pricing and to disregard speculation. The government has not issued a formal response to the price freeze demand.