Kenya is accelerating efforts to strengthen its long-term energy security through new oil, gas and renewable energy partnerships as rising fuel prices continue to fuel economic pressure and social unrest across the country.
President William Ruto held discussions with Azerbaijan’s state-owned energy company SOCAR in Baku on May 17, focusing on potential cooperation in oil and gas exploration, renewable energy development and regional refining infrastructure.
The talks come at a time when Kenya is facing mounting public frustration over escalating fuel costs. Successive increases in fuel prices have triggered transport strikes and demonstrations in major cities including Nairobi and Mombasa, with transport operators warning that high fuel costs are becoming economically unsustainable.
Taxi drivers, truck operators and public transport workers blocked key roads in protest, while clashes between demonstrators and security forces reportedly left four people dead and more than 30 injured, according to Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen.
Kenyan authorities have partly attributed the fuel price surge to growing geopolitical tensions involving the United States and Iran, as well as instability around the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important oil shipping corridors. The disruptions have intensified concerns over Africa’s continued dependence on imported petroleum products and the vulnerability of local economies to external energy shocks.
Kenya currently relies heavily on imported refined fuel from the Middle East, a dependency the government now hopes to reduce through investments in local refining capacity and energy diversification. Discussions with SOCAR reportedly included possible Azerbaijani participation in an East African oil refinery project aimed at strengthening regional fuel production and reducing reliance on imports.
Beyond fossil fuels, the talks also covered renewable energy collaboration as Kenya seeks to expand its power generation capacity over the next decade. The government plans to add approximately 10,000 megawatts of new electricity generation through a combination of geothermal, wind, solar, natural gas and other energy sources as part of its broader energy transition strategy.
The discussions reflect Kenya’s attempt to balance short-term energy affordability challenges with long-term sustainability and energy resilience goals. Although the country is widely recognized as one of Africa’s leading renewable energy producers, rising fuel prices continue to expose structural vulnerabilities in transport systems, industrial supply chains and household energy costs.
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In Mombasa, transport disruptions linked to the strikes have already raised concerns about potential supply chain delays affecting cargo movement through East Africa’s busiest port corridor.
Negotiations between the government and transport sector representatives have so far failed to produce an agreement on fare adjustments or emergency fuel support measures. Finance Minister John Mbadi indicated that further interventions could be considered following President Ruto’s return from Azerbaijan.
As global energy markets remain volatile, Kenya’s engagement with SOCAR signals a broader shift toward building more diversified and resilient energy systems capable of reducing exposure to geopolitical disruptions while supporting economic growth, industrial development and long-term sustainability across the region.
