By the 254.ke Newsroom.
Kenyans are paying more at the pump from October 15. The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) raised maximum retail prices in its review announced on October 14, taking super petrol in Nairobi to Sh226.96 a litre, up Sh12.93, while diesel rises Sh9.90 to Sh227.76 and kerosene jumps Sh28.49 to Sh219.87. The new caps run until November 14, 2026.
What are the new fuel prices in Kenya from October 15?
The prices below are maximum retail prices and include 8 per cent VAT. Stations can charge less, but not more.
| Fuel (per litre) | Nairobi until Oct 14 | Nairobi from Oct 15 | Change | Mombasa from Oct 15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Super petrol | Sh214.03 | Sh226.96 | +Sh12.93 | Sh223.81 |
| Diesel | Sh217.86 | Sh227.76 | +Sh9.90 | Sh224.61 |
| Kerosene | Sh191.38 | Sh219.87 | +Sh28.49 | Sh216.71 |
Kisumu figures were not reported in the coverage reviewed for this article. Check EPRA’s published pump price notice for towns not listed here.
Why did EPRA raise fuel prices?
EPRA pointed to higher import costs. The average landed cost of imported super petrol rose 11.81 per cent in September, from US$874.26 to US$977.55 per cubic metre. Diesel rose 11.32 per cent, from US$957.05 to US$1,065.38, and kerosene rose 9.41 per cent. The dollar averaged Sh129.91 in September, barely changed from Sh129.72 in August, so the increase comes from dollar fuel prices rather than the shilling.
Kenya imports all its petroleum in refined form, and pump prices are worked out from landed costs at Mombasa. The rise reverses the previous cycle, from September 15 to October 14, when EPRA held prices unchanged. Our earlier report on the October price hold has the old figures.
How much more will a tank cost?
Tech-ish, which analysed the EPRA release, calculated that filling a 50-litre tank of petrol in Nairobi now costs about Sh11,348, up from Sh10,702. At 10 kilometres a litre, 100 kilometres of petrol driving costs about Sh2,270, compared with Sh2,140 before. The outlet also reported that petrol now sits above the Sh214.25 cap set in May, the previous 2026 high, while diesel remains below its May high of Sh242.92.
Why did kerosene rise the most?
Kerosene went up Sh28.49, far more than petrol or diesel. According to Tech-ish’s reading of the release, EPRA’s stated reason is that a wide price gap between kerosene and diesel encourages adulteration, the blending of kerosene into diesel. The Nairobi gap between the two fuels is now Sh7.89, from Sh26.48 last month. The analysis notes that the petrol and diesel increases were smaller than landed costs plus VAT would imply, a difference the EPRA release does not explain.
What happens to VAT on fuel?
Fuel is currently taxed at a temporary 8 per cent VAT rate, introduced in April in place of 16 per cent. Tech-ish reports the rate was due to lapse on October 14 and is now reported to run to January 14, 2027, although the EPRA release gives no end date. The same outlet estimates that at 16 per cent the Nairobi petrol cap would be about Sh17 higher.
What does it mean for household costs?
Transport and electricity bills are the usual channels through which fuel feeds into household budgets. See how last month’s bills compared in electricity charges for October 2026 and what already got costlier in the August inflation figures. Next review is due by November 14.
Frequently asked questions
What is the price of petrol in Nairobi today?
As of October 20, 2026, the maximum price of super petrol in Nairobi is Sh226.96 a litre under EPRA’s October 15 to November 14 cycle.
When is the next EPRA fuel price review?
The current caps run until November 14, 2026. EPRA announces new maximum prices ahead of each monthly cycle.
Are these the actual pump prices?
They are ceilings. Stations may charge less, but prices vary by town because of transport costs from Mombasa. Visit the EPRA website for the full notice.
How much did diesel go up?
Diesel rose Sh9.90 in Nairobi to Sh227.76, and to Sh224.61 in Mombasa.
