Cape Verde Gas Shortage: ADECO Demands Logistics Overhaul
Cape Verde’s Consumer Defense Association (ADECO) is calling for an urgent overhaul of the nation’s gas distribution system, warning that logistical failures are leaving residents on several islands facing frequent shortages and long lines despite a stable national supply.
While the country has enough butane gas to meet demand, ADECO President Nelson Faria told Rádio de Cabo Verde (RCV) that a lack of “redundancy safeguards” in the inter-island transport chain is creating artificial scarcities. “We have already seen shortages on the islands of São Nicolau, Fogo, and Boa Vista, then it reached Santo Antão, and more recently São Vicente,” Faria said. “The distribution logistics are not being fully met, hence the situation of apparent shortages.”
Lack of Infrastructure Putting Consumers at Risk
ADECO is urging the government and distribution companies to reinforce transport alternatives between the islands and significantly increase local storage capacity. Without these improvements, Faria warned that consumers will continue to face the risk of losing access to essential fuel for cooking and heating.
The calls for reform come as citizens across the archipelago report increasingly long queues at sales points. On some islands, the frustration has been compounded by reports of illegal activity. The Multisectoral Economic Regulatory Agency (ARME) recently confirmed it is investigating allegations of gas hoarding and price gouging—specifically on the island of Fogo—where some vendors are reportedly selling cylinders above official fixed prices.
Supply is Secure, but Logistics Remain the Hurdle
Despite the local supply gaps, regulators and industry leaders insist there is no national fuel crisis. On February 26, ARME assured the public that total butane gas reserves are sufficient to power the country, attributing the current issues strictly to “logistical constraints.”
Adding to this sentiment, Luís Flores, Director-General of the oil company Enacol, clarified that Cape Verde’s fuel security remains robust. He noted that the country has no direct exposure to geopolitical instability in the Middle East, as its supply is primarily sourced from refineries along the West African coast and Western Europe. However, for the residents of Cape Verde’s outer islands, the challenge remains getting that secure supply from the central depots to their kitchen stoves.
Image: Pexels – aboodi vesakaran
