Zambia has maintained its national pump prices for petrol, diesel, kerosene and Jet A-1 for September, despite rising international oil prices linked to continuing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.

The Energy Regulation Board (ERB) said on Monday that it had decided to retain the existing prices after its monthly review, cushioning consumers from upward pressure through a combination of tax measures and its regulatory price-smoothing mechanism.

Under the September pricing schedule, petrol will remain at K25.29 per litre, while diesel will sell at K26.86 per litre.

Kerosene will remain at K27.02 per litre, with Jet A-1 unchanged at K28.71 per litre.

Kerosene has also maintained at K27.02/litre

The ERB said international prices for petrol, diesel and kerosene/Jet A-1 came under upward pressure during the review period as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East continued to weigh on the global oil market.

The resulting increase in international oil prices, together with movements in the exchange rate, would ordinarily have placed upward pressure on domestic pump prices, the regulator said.

“Despite the stated movements in pricing fundamentals, the ERB has maintained the pump prices of domestic petroleum products for September 2026,” the regulator said.

The decision has been supported by the continued suspension of excise duty and zero-rating of Value Added Tax (VAT) on petroleum products, alongside the regulatory price-smoothing mechanism.

The unchanged prices provide some relief to motorists, households and businesses at a time when global energy markets remain exposed to geopolitical risks.

Fuel prices are particularly significant for Zambia’s wider economy because changes in pump prices can feed through into transportation, logistics, agriculture, manufacturing and ultimately consumer prices.

The ERB said the September prices will remain in force until they are revised at the next fuel-price review.

The regulator’s latest decision means Zambian motorists will enter September without an increase in fuel costs, despite the adverse movements recorded in international oil prices and exchange-rate fundamentals.