- The Central Bank of Kenya flagged a rise in Murban crude oil prices in its weekly report released on Friday, October 9, 2026
- Murban crude, the benchmark used for Kenya's fuel pricing, climbed from USD 95.76 to USD 101.67 per barrel within a week
- EPRA is set to announce new pump prices on October 14, 2026, with the revised rates taking effect the following day
TUKO.co.ke journalist Japhet Ruto has over eight years of experience in financial, business, and technology reporting, offering insights into Kenyan and global economic trends.
The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has flagged a notable increase in crude oil prices ahead of the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority's (EPRA) scheduled monthly fuel price review on October 14, 2026.
Source: Twitter
In its weekly bulletin released on Friday, October 9, the CBK reported that Murban crude oil, the benchmark used to determine Kenya's pump prices, rose to USD 101.67 (KSh 13,134) per barrel on October 8, up from USD 95.76 (KSh 12,371) per barrel recorded on October 1.
What drove the crude oil price increase?
The CBK attributed the sharp one-week jump to supply concerns stemming from ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
"Murban crude oil prices increased to USD 101.67 per barrel on October 8 from USD 95.76 per barrel on October 1, driven by supply concerns associated with ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East," it stated.
The roughly 6% rise in crude prices within seven days could have implications for the cost of fuel at Kenyan petrol stations if the trend holds at the time of EPRA's assessment.
What to expect from EPRA's review
EPRA conducts its pump price review on a monthly basis, with the authority set to announce updated prices on October 14, 2026.
The newly determined rates will come into effect from October 15, 2026, and remain in place through November 14, 2026.
The movement in Murban crude prices is closely watched by consumers and industry players alike, given that Kenya's fuel pricing mechanism directly links pump costs to international crude benchmarks.
Any sustained increase in crude prices typically translates into higher retail prices for petrol, diesel, and kerosene at the pump.
What are the current fuel prices in Kenya?
EPRA set the maximum retail prices in Nairobi at KSh 214.03 per litre for super petrol, KSh 217.86 for diesel and KSh 191.38 for kerosene.
The prices took effect on September 15.
The prices remain unchanged from the previous monthly review cycle, which ended on September 14, 2026.
Source: TUKO.co.ke