Motorists in Malawi are spending nights at petrol stations as renewed fuel shortages disrupt transportation and leave drivers without income.

The crisis has affected the country’s commercial capital, Blantyre, where motorists queue for hours hoping to buy petrol. Some taxi and motorcycle operators have been unable to work because they cannot obtain fuel.

A motorist, Harry Jim, told Reuters that he had spent the night at a filling station and was still waiting to refuel his vehicle, describing the shortage as severe.

Motorcycle taxi operator Paul Christopher said he had been unable to earn a living for three weeks because of the lack of petrol. He added that he would have to repay debts accumulated during the period before he could resume normal activities.

Fuel scarcity has repeatedly affected Malawi in recent years and became a major issue during the country’s 2025 election campaign.

The situation eased temporarily after President Peter Mutharika won the election and increased pump prices. However, shortages worsened again following the outbreak of the Iran war in late February 2026.

The Malawian government has blamed the problem on insufficient foreign currency, which has constrained the country’s ability to secure fuel supplies from international markets.

Mutharika is hoping that a new financing agreement with the International Monetary Fund will help stabilise the economy, although an agreement has yet to be reached.