{"id":46149,"date":"2026-07-16T16:47:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-16T14:47:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/?p=46149"},"modified":"2026-07-16T17:22:55","modified_gmt":"2026-07-16T15:22:55","slug":"motorists-and-commuters-decry-as-fuel-prices-soar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/2026\/07\/16\/motorists-and-commuters-decry-as-fuel-prices-soar\/","title":{"rendered":"Motorists, and commuters decry as fuel prices soar"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Sabri Dibaco <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

South Sudanese motorists and commuters are facing renewed economic hardship following another sharp increase in fuel prices across the country. The surges witnessed petrol now selling for SSP 18,500 per litre in Juba, up from SSP 14,500.<\/p>\n

In Yambio, the capital of Western Equatoria State, a litre of petrol has climbed to SSP 20,000 at licensed filling stations.<\/p>\n

The situation is even more difficult on the black market, where petrol is selling for as much as SSP 23,000 per litre, forcing many motorists and transport operators to pay premium prices whenever filling stations run out of stock.<\/p>\n

The latest increase has triggered concerns among residents, who fear that transport fares, food prices, and the cost of other basic commodities will continue to rise at a time when many households are already struggling with inflation and declining purchasing power.<\/p>\n

For many South Sudanese families, fuel prices have become a direct indicator of the cost of everyday life.<\/p>\n

Grace Tereza, a resident of Yambio, said the increase has made it more difficult for families to meet their daily needs.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery time fuel prices increase, everything else becomes expensive. Traders pay more to transport goods, and the extra cost is transferred to consumers. We are already finding it difficult to buy food, and now life is becoming even more unbearable,\u201d Tereza said.<\/p>\n

She urged the government to intervene by ensuring a stable fuel supply and monitoring prices across the country.<\/p>\n

Another resident, Peter Juma, said ordinary citizens are paying the price for economic challenges beyond their control.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur incomes remain the same while prices continue to increase. Whether you are travelling to work, taking a child to school, or buying food, fuel affects everything. The government needs to find a lasting solution.\u201d Juma stated<\/p>\n

Motorcycle taxi operators, commonly known as boda boda riders, say the increase has significantly reduced their daily profits.<\/p>\n

John Bosco, who operates a boda boda in Yambio, said fuel now accounts for the largest portion of his daily expenses.<\/p>\n

\u201cI used to spend much less filling my motorcycle, but today I buy petrol at SSP 20,000, and when filling stations have no fuel, I buy it at SSP 23,000 on the black market. After paying for fuel, there is very little money left to support my family.\u201d Bosco said<\/p>\n

He said many riders have reduced the number of trips they make because operating costs have become too high.<\/p>\n

Another boda boda rider, James Taban, warned that transport fares may soon increase if fuel prices continue rising.<\/p>\n

\u201cPassengers complain whenever we increase fares, but they also need to understand that we cannot work without making any profit. Fuel, engine oil, and spare parts have all become expensive. If this situation continues, transport charges must go up,\u201d Taban said.<\/p>\n

Taxi drivers have also expressed concern over the rising operational costs. Michael Wani, a taxi driver operating in Juba, said the increase in fuel prices is making it increasingly difficult to keep his vehicle on the road.<\/p>\n

\u201cFuel has increased from SSP 14,500 to SSP 18,500 in Juba, and here in Yambio it is SSP 20,000 at filling stations. If we cannot find fuel there, we buy it for SSP 23,000 on the black market. Together with expensive spare parts and vehicle maintenance, this is becoming unsustainable,\u201d Taban explained<\/p>\n

He said transport operators are left with little choice but to review transport fares.<\/p>\n

\u201cNobody wants to increase prices, but if our operating costs continue rising, we cannot continue charging the same fares. Otherwise, we will be working at a loss.\u201d Taban stated<\/p>\n

Residents have appealed to the national government to strengthen fuel supply systems, stabilise prices and crack down on illegal fuel trading that often flourishes during shortages.<\/p>\n

They argue that ensuring adequate supplies at licensed filling stations would reduce dependence on black-market dealers, who sell fuel at significantly higher prices.<\/p>\n

South Sudan remains heavily dependent on imported refined petroleum products despite being an oil-producing nation.<\/p>\n

Fuel entering the country is transported mainly by road from neighbouring countries, making prices vulnerable to fluctuations in international fuel markets, exchange rate movements, transport costs, and supply disruptions.<\/p>\n

Over the years, intermittent fuel shortages have frequently resulted in the emergence of black-market fuel sales, where prices often exceed those at licensed petrol stations. Rising fuel prices have consistently contributed to increases in transport fares, food prices, and the overall cost of living across the country.<\/p>\n

The latest increase from SSP 14,500 to SSP 18,500 per litre in Juba and SSP 20,000 per litre in Yambio, with black-market prices reaching SSP 23,000, has renewed concerns over inflation and the growing financial burden on households, transport operators, and businesses as South Sudan continues to face economic challenges.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Sabri Dibaco South Sudanese motorists and commuters are facing renewed economic hardship following another sharp increase in fuel prices across the country. The surges witnessed petrol now selling for SSP 18,500 per litre in Juba, up from SSP 14,500. In Yambio, the capital of Western Equatoria State, a litre[Read More…]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":46150,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,84,85,80,79,4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-46149","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business","category-finance","category-markets","category-national","category-news","category-politics"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Courtesy-Photo-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46149","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46149"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46149\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":46158,"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46149\/revisions\/46158"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/46150"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46149"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46149"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46149"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}