NPRA Boss Assures Of Adequate Fuel Availability
By: Alimatu Kargbo
At a press briefing held at the Miatta Conference Centre, the Director General of the National Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NPRA), Brima Baluwa Koroma, stepped before journalists with a message of both gratitude and reassurance. Flanked by his team, he began by thanking three groups: the general public for their patience and reasonableness, the importers who have continued to supply despite difficult conditions, and the government for transparent handling of the ongoing energy crisis.
Koroma acknowledged that fuel prices remain a daily concern for every economy, whether oil-producing or net-importing. He drew sharp contrasts with other nations. Within West Africa, he noted, one country saw demonstrations over high ticket prices, forcing a presidential intervention. But in Sierra Leone, he said, citizens have not resorted to widespread strikes, and the government is deeply grateful for that restraint. “Since this crisis began, we have seen only one or two cases,” he said. “The people have shown that they are reasonable.”
Turning to hard data, the Director General declared that despite global turbulence, Sierra Leone maintains some of the highest product efficiency in the sub-region. “We have diesel up to 58 days. We have petrol up to 45 days,” he said. “That is one of the highest levels anywhere.” He warned, however, that some importers have begun reducing volumes, bringing only 5,000 metric tons instead of 10,000, or 2,500 instead of 5,000, because high prices have tied up their capital. Even so, the country continues to receive supply.
Koroma placed the local situation in a global context. He cited the United Kingdom, where the government has accused some companies of profiteering though the industry denies it. He mentioned China stockpiling, Egypt closing restaurants and cafes by 9 PM throughout April, the Philippines stockpiling, Sri Lanka not even announcing its reserves, Myanmar resorting to alternative numbers, and the ongoing impact of wars in Ukraine and Israel. “The day America gets a temporary ceasefire, then one day the Kyiv war… one day of attack affects the entire month,” he said. Global crude prices now hover around 85 to 95 dollars per barrel, he added, and every tremor in the Middle East sends shockwaves through Sierra Leone.
Crucially, Koroma reminded his audience that Sierra Leone does not consume crude oil. “We consume refined petroleum products,” he said. The NPRA monitors refined prices, but he admitted that the authority lacks some of the tools it needs to track all variables perfectly. He urged listeners not to rely on social media posts that ask “What do you know? What do you do?” without understanding the complexity.
Looking forward, the Director General outlined three domestic measures. First, the government is strengthening the price stability mechanism and the pricing formula to ensure that price changes do not drive any company into insolvency or bankruptcy. Second, he gave a firm promise: “There will not be a petrol pool in this country. From now on, we are going to carry the best petrol products available in this country.” Third, the NPRA is reviewing the frequency of price changes, moving away from monthly meetings to a more responsive system.
Koroma closed by noting that even the World Bank and IMF have described the current war’s impact on fuel as among the fiercest losses ever recorded. “In January they will take it to Tunisia,” he said, adding that prices will eventually come down gradually, but the world will not return to pre-war days overnight. “The impact is so serious that they don’t know what to do about it,” he admitted. Still, he ended on a note of professional pride. “I am a professional communicator. I am a regulator. And I say this for the record: crisis time is when we show what we are made of.”
