The Energy Regulation Board—ERB—has announced an upward adjustment in domestic petroleum prices for October 2026.
Effective midnight on 30th September 2026, petrol will increase from 25.29 Kwacha to 31.46 Kwacha per litre, representing an increase of 6.17 Kwacha.
Diesel will rise from 26.86 Kwacha to 33.27 Kwacha per litre, an increase of 6.41 Kwacha.
Kerosene will increase from 27.02 Kwacha to 29.76 Kwacha, while Jet A-1 will rise from 28.71 Kwacha to 31.85 Kwacha per litre.
The ERB says the adjustment has been necessitated by higher international petroleum prices, the depreciation of the Kwacha and the reinstatement of excise duty.
During the review period, the average price of petrol increased from 104.94 United States Dollars to 112.58 Dollars per barrel, while diesel increased from 150.92 Dollars to 160.88 Dollars per barrel.
The average price of kerosene and Jet A-1 increased from 125.30 Dollars to 144 Dollars per barrel.
Over the same period, the Kwacha depreciated against the United States Dollar from 19.28 Kwacha to 19.76 Kwacha.
The ERB says price-smoothing measures, together with Government’s suspension of excise duty and zero-rating of Value Added Tax from April to September 2026, helped to moderate the impact of these developments on domestic petroleum prices.
Following the expiry of the tax-relief period in September 2026, Government has reinstated excise duty with effect from 1st October 2026, while the reinstatement of VAT will take effect on 1st December 2026.
The ERB says despite the adjustment, Zambia’s petroleum prices remain competitive within the region.
By Rachel Mumba
