The Botswana Energy Regulatory Authority (BERA) wishes to inform the public of the decision to discontinue the sale and use of unleaded petrol 93 (ULP93) in Botswana with effect from 1st February 2025.
The Authority wishes to highlight that most of the petroleum products requirements are sourced from, or through the Republic of South Africa (RSA) with small quantities sourced from the Republic of Namibia and the Republic of Mozambique. Over the years, the refining capacity in RSA, as the main source of supply to Botswana, has significantly declined with some of the major refineries having shut down. The decline in refining capacity in RSA is attributed to aged refineries and the lofty investment required to repair or upgrade such facilities to produce cleaner fuels.
Regionally, ULP 93 is produced in limited quantities only in RSA at the NATREF Refinery. This refinery is the main source for the ULP 93 imported into Botswana and other countries in the region. Although there may be ULP 93 through some sporadic imports from other regions of the world and possibly into South Africa, there are currently challenges with such products being re-exported owing to the South African Revenue Services (SARS) rules.
It is upon this background that other countries in the region such as Namibia, Mozambique and Eswatini moved decisively to discontinue the use of ULP 93. Through active engagement with various stakeholders at local and regional levels, the Authority has been made aware of the Republic of South Africa’s plan to discontinue the supply of ULP 93 around the year 2026. Considering challenges with the supply of ULP 93 and particularly with the Republic of South Africa being the only producer of the product in the region, it became prudent that Botswana discontinued the sale of the product locally.
The Authority would like to assure the public that the discontinuation of ULP93 will not adversely affect them since all petrol engines can run on unleaded petrol 95 (ULP95) which is in abundance and readily available both regionally and internationally. In fact, ULP95 is a better-quality product compared to ULP93 which is an older grade.
The Authority will continue to monitor fuel supplies as well as technological advances for possible introduction of newer fuel grades and discontinuation of older grades in consideration of various factors such as security of supply and environmental protection. Furthermore, the Authority will endeavour to keep the public informed about any improvements or changes to the fuel supply as may be necessary.
For further information please contact BERA at 5330392 email; info@bera.co.bw
