First fuel cargo for Rwanda lands in Mombasa under new Kenya deal

The first fuel cargo under a new government-to-government deal between Kenya and Rwanda has arrived in Mombasa. The tanker MT Sea Wolf docked at the Kipevu Oil Terminal 2 on Tuesday, 29 September 2026, carrying 40,000 tonnes of petrol and diesel for the Rwanda National Energy Company. That is roughly a month of Rwanda's fuel consumption.

The deal

The two countries signed three agreements in late June: a memorandum of understanding, a tripartite agreement, and a transport and storage agreement. Together they set up a state-backed framework for moving, storing and transporting fuel bound for Rwanda. Kenya's Cabinet approved the 40,000-tonne transit in July.

• Route: the fuel lands at Mombasa and moves through the Kenya Pipeline Company network. From there it goes along the Northern Corridor to Rwanda.
• Volumes: Rwanda-bound fuel through Kenya is expected to grow about tenfold, from about 60,000 to about 600,000 cubic metres a year.
• Operator: the Rwanda National Energy Company is registered in Kenya and licensed by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority.

"This project with Kenya is a practical example of our energy security strategy," said Armand Zingiro, Rwanda's Minister of State for Infrastructure. He received the cargo alongside Kenya's Energy Cabinet Secretary, Opiyo Wandayi.

Why it matters

Rwanda is landlocked and depends on long overland routes for its fuel. For Kenya, the deal brings more business to Mombasa port and the Kenya Pipeline Company. It also strengthens Kenya's case to be the region's fuel gateway. That case got another boost a day later, when construction was launched on the Lamu refinery, which Kenya has said could one day supply Rwanda.