Tag Archives: The Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA)

Business, Law and order, Malawi

Sabotage! MERA suspends fuel allocation to SIMSO Oil for illegal hoarding 200,000 litres of petrol amid crisis

MaraviPost

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA) has suspended fuel allocation to SIMSO Oil and Transport Company due to hoarding over 200,000 litres of petrol at its depot as crisis.

The company’s Fuel Service Stations were dry, despite having a huge stockpile of fuel.

MERA’s decision comes after regulatory inspections revealed that SIMSO Oil was withholding petrol without justification, undermining national efforts to stabilize fuel supply during the ongoing crisis.

In a press statement issued on Thursday, August 7, 2025, MERA has ordered SIMSO Oil to immediately release and distribute the withheld petrol to its Fuel Service Stations.

Furthermore, fuel importers and Oil Marketing Companies are prohibited from allocating any stocks to SIMSO Oil until further notice.

SIMSO Oil belongs to Bishop Simama.

This comes barely a day after President Lazarus Chakwera accused some traders for hording essential commodities including fuel, sugar, drugs that his leadership be look like a failure ahead of September 16 polls.

Business, Malawi

Chekwera appoints new MERA board members as fuel prices hike looms

Maravi Post Reporter

By Chisomo Phiri

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-In exercise of his power under section 5(1) of the Energy Regulation Act, President Lazarus Chakwera on March 24, 2022 appointed new Board Members of the Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA).

Chakwera also reconstituted the Regulatory Body’s Board of Directors.

Of the new Board members, Reckford Kampanje is the new Regulatory Chairperson while Innoncencia Chirombo has been appointed the Vice-Chairperson.

Members include Lameck Nchembe, Charles Kambauwa, and Ulemu Kambwiri.

The appointments are subject to confirmation by the Public Appointments Committee of the Parliament.

However the appointment of the board is likely to effect fuel prices as rumored.

MERA is a corporate body established under the Energy Regulatory Act No. 20 of 2004 as the Energy Sector Wide Regulator. Its mandate is to regulate the energy sector in Malawi in a fair, transparent, efficient and cost effective manner for the benefit of the consumers and operators.

Business, Malawi

Chakwera’s doomed Canaan continues to wreck Malawians: Fuel prices up

Maravi Post Reporter

By Chisomo Phiri

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-President Lazarus Chakwera’s Tonse government continue to bite hard Malawians following fuel hike expected in February.

The Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority ( MERA) says the fuel prices in the country will increase by February, 2022 due to an increase in fuel transportation costs and depreciation of Kwacha against major foreign currencies such as United States Dollar.

In a statement, the regulatory body says since the determination of the ruling prices in October, 2021, the Malawi Kwacha has slightly deprecated against the United States Dollar by 0.12%, from an average of MK832. 49/USD to the current average of MK824. 48/USD.

On the other hand, MERA says the Free On Board ( FOB) prices of Petrol, Diesel and Paraffin have increased by 7.15%, 14. 87% and 15. 99% respectively.

” The combined effect of the performance of the key determinants may result in higher landed costs of petroleum products in the month of February, 2022. To date, the landed costs of Petrol, Diesel and Paraffin have increased by 6.04%, 13.35%, and 13.91% respectively.

As at January 25, 2022, the Price Stabilization Fund( PSF) balances for Petrol, Diesel, and Paraffin averaged MK0. 9 billion against the recommended minimum of MK5 billion,” reads the statement.

MERA adds that under the Automatic Fuel Pricing Mechanism, pump prices qualify for an adjustment when the landed costs of petroleum products move beyond £ 5% trigger limit.

The body says, in the upcoming energy prices review, it will consider the following: changes in landed costs, the PSF status, the need to enable importing companies to recover importation costs, and the goal of promoting consumers’ interests with respect to fuel prices and continuity of supply.

The statement comes the time as the citizenry is nursing the wounds of high fuel prices, a development that has caused the prices of other goods and commodities go up.