The National Oil Company of Malawi (Nocma) is under growing pressure to explain why Tanzanian fuel transporters allegedly continue dominating fuel haulage business into Malawi at the expense of struggling local operators — accusations the company has so far remained silent on.
NOCMA Public Relations Officer, Raymond Likambale
Local fuel transporters say despite repeated engagements with authorities and past court interventions, Malawian-owned tanker operators are still being sidelined while Tanzanian truckers allegedly enjoy preferential treatment in fuel transportation contracts.
The concerns, now escalating into a major industry grievance, were raised by the Transporters Association of Malawi (TAM) and the Truck Drivers Union of Malawi (TDUM), who accuse both Nocma and the Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (Mera) of failing to protect local transporters from what they describe as unfair competition.
TAM spokesperson Frank Banda said the current arrangement has created an uneven playing field where Malawian transporters spend weeks waiting to load fuel in Dar es Salaam while Tanzanian transporters allegedly make multiple trips within the same period and receive payments in United States dollars.
He said the situation is particularly painful for local operators because Malawi is currently battling a severe foreign exchange crisis, yet millions of dollars continue flowing outside the country through foreign transport payments.
According to Banda, transporting a single fuel consignment into Malawi by a Tanzanian truck reportedly costs about 13,500 US dollars — approximately K23.4 million — money he says could largely remain within the domestic economy if local transporters were prioritised and paid in kwacha.
“It is difficult to understand why Malawi would continue exporting scarce forex when capable local transporters are available,” Banda argued.
He revealed that local transporters have already engaged both Mera and Nocma leadership over the matter but say they are yet to receive meaningful feedback or concrete action.
“We remain confident that through these ongoing discussions, an amicable and mutually beneficial resolution can be achieved,” said Banda.
“However, should all negotiation and engagement efforts fail to produce satisfactory outcomes, the association will not hesitate to consult its members for guidance on the next course of action.”
The dispute revives long-standing tensions surrounding Malawi’s fuel transportation system, particularly the controversial Delivered Duty Unpaid (DDU) arrangement that was heavily utilised between 2020 and 2024.
Under the DDU system, foreign transporters — especially Tanzanian hauliers — reportedly dominated fuel transportation into Malawi, triggering protests from local operators who argued that the arrangement disadvantaged Malawian businesses and deprived the country of economic benefits.
The tensions eventually culminated in a landmark High Court ruling in August 2024, when the Fuel Tankers Operators Association successfully challenged the DDU system, leading to its abolition.
However, local transporters now claim that despite the court ruling, the practical realities on the ground have changed very little.
Truck Drivers Union of Malawi vice-president Francis Mkandawire said local drivers and transport operators have lodged numerous complaints with government authorities and participated in several round-table discussions, but tangible solutions remain elusive.
“We have engaged government several times, but there is still no real change being felt by local transporters and drivers,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mera spokesperson Fitina Khonje confirmed that the regulator is continuing engagements with transporters regarding the concerns.
“The agreed upon position will be shared with the media,” she said.
But while Mera has at least acknowledged the matter publicly, Nocma had not responded to questions by press time.
Nocma spokesperson Raymond Likambale and the company’s deputy chief executive officer Micklas Rueben were reportedly yet to comment on the allegations, further fuelling frustration among local operators demanding answers.
Ironically, only a few months ago — in April 2026 — Mera announced that it had resolved grievances raised by tanker truck drivers by allocating 85 percent of contractual fuel volumes to Malawian transporters and establishing offices at loading ports to improve coordination.
But transporters now argue that those promises are not translating into reality on the ground, with Tanzanian hauliers allegedly still dominating fuel transportation business while Malawian truckers remain idle.
The growing discontent is likely to intensify pressure on authorities to explain whether local content policies in the fuel sector are genuinely being enforced — or whether Malawian transporters are once again being pushed aside in favour of foreign operators.
