Top 10 African countries with the lowest diesel prices in May 2025

Business Insider Africa presents the top 10 African countries with the lowest diesel prices in May 2025.
This list is courtesy of data from GlobalPetrolPrices.
Libya ranks at the top of the list.

In Africa, low diesel costs not only provide short-term economic comfort but also position several countries on the continent for longer-term growth and competitiveness in critical industries.

Countries with low diesel costs, such as Algeria and Angola, are seeing substantial gains in the transportation and logistics sectors.

Diesel as a major fuel source is used by heavy-duty vehicles, public transportation buses, and haulage trucks.

When the cost of diesel is low, it helps reduce the prices of commodities carried great distances, increases commerce, cuts inflation, and makes items more affordable to consumers.

In nations where informal markets and inter-city commerce are important, low-cost diesel keeps supply chains running and decreases delivery delays, making local economies more productive and accessible.

Diesel is widely employed throughout Africa's sectors, notably in manufacturing, mining, and construction. Countries that can maintain low fuel costs provide their industrial sectors a competitive advantage.

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These enterprises may produce items at reduced prices, attract more foreign investment, and compete more effectively in regional marketplaces such as the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).

diesel truck Google

This advantage is essential for countries seeking to diversify their economy and reduce their reliance on raw commodity exports.

In a year defined by fuel price volatility and economic instability across Africa, some governments' purposeful management of low diesel prices has emerged as a secret weapon for resilience.

With that said, here are the African countries that have the lowest diesel costs currently, according to Global PetrolPrices, which pegs the average price of diesel globally at 1.18 U.S. dollars per liter, as of the 19th of May.

Compared to the top 10 countries that made the list last month, when the global average was 1.20 U.S. dollars per liter, diesel prices for Algeria, Nigeria, and Gabon all reduced slightly.

Diesel prices for Egypt, Ethiopia, Tunisia, and Liberia increased.

While prices for Libya, Angola, and Sudan remained the same.