Africa braces for jet‑fuel shortages as Middle East conflict disrupts supply routes

South African airlines are adding fuel surcharges and Somali suppliers are warning of route risks as the Middle East conflict disrupts flows through the Strait of Hormuz, tightening jet fuel supply lines into Africa.

South Africa’s largest domestic carrier, FlySafair, has implemented a temporary, dynamic fuel surcharge on tickets, a decision the airline said is intended to protect operations during an exceptional volatility period.

State-owned South African Airways (SAA) has also added a surcharge and adjusted fares from March 12, citing immediate Jet A‑1 price increases from suppliers.

South Africa’s fuel supply is highly exposed to the Gulf as most imported petrol and diesel come from Oman, the UAE, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

At a private airport in Johannesburg, ground staff were testing samples, checking gauges and drawing hoses across the apron as aircraft were refueled, underscoring the operational sensitivity to daily price and supply shifts.

In an interview at a hangar, National Airways Corporation director of flight operations, Jannie de Klerk said any interruption would have “a major impact,” adding that volatility across Southern, West and East African out‑stations means crews can “bargain on certain pricing … but by the time you get there the price has changed,” with potential knock‑ons for charter, medevac and humanitarian missions.

In Mogadishu, a Jet A‑1 truck rolled into a depot as workers carried out quality checks near storage tanks. Hass Petroleum country manager Dahir Macow said capacity on site is sufficient, but warned the “main problem is the supply route” because Somalia imports from the Gulf, especially Oman.

The choke point sits far to the north: the Strait of Hormuz, where the conflict has effectively halted tanker movements, forcing refiners and airlines to draw down inventories and seek longer, risk‑laden routes.

Industry officials and analysts say the disruption ranks among the most severe energy shocks in decades, with spare capacity elsewhere insufficient to fully offset the shortfall while shipping and insurance constraints mount. The aviation sector is particularly exposed because jet fuel supply chains are thin and easily strained; trade groups have urged diversification and contingency planning as rerouting via the Cape of Good Hope lengthens delivery times.

Production: Shafiek Tassiem, Siyabonga Sishi, Abdirhaman Hussein, Sisipho Skweyiya, Mukelwa Hlatshwayo/Reuters