Mali's capital is experiencing a major energy crisis. Since Tuesday, March 10, 2026, motorists in Bamako have been facing a critical diesel shortage. The cause: a strategic decision by the government to prioritize supplies from Énergie du Mali (EDM) in an attempt to stabilize the electricity grid during the heatwave and Ramadan.

A transport sector at a standstill

Fuel shortages are paralyzing the city's economic activity. According to the latest reports:

1. Public transport: More than 100 vehicles were immobilized as of Monday.
2. Construction: Sand and gravel haulers report being completely "dry".
3. Gas stations: Long queues stretch out in front of the few outlets that are still supplied.

The security of the convoys in question

Landlocked Mali depends almost entirely on imports transported by tanker truck. This logistics network is a direct target of the jihadist group JNIM (linked to Al-Qaeda). Since September, the organization has stepped up roadblocks and attacks on strategic routes to cripple the Malian economy and weaken the ruling junta.

The situation is all the more tense as insecurity discourages transporters. A recent Human Rights Watch report recalls the horror on the ground: at the end of January, 10 drivers and two apprentices were executed near the Senegalese border.

EDM "takes everything" to counter the heat

To avoid a total blackout as temperatures rise, the national electricity company is requisitioning almost all of the diesel stocks arriving in the country.

"Diesel is primarily injected into EDM's power plants," explains a member of the oil companies association.

Despite this priority given to the electricity sector, power outages persist, fueling frustration among Malians on social media. Caught between the need for mobility and the climate emergency, the military government faces an increasingly difficult balancing act.