International Oil Prices Rise Ahead of EPRA's September 2026 Fuel Review
International oil prices have increased ahead of the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA)’s September 2026 fuel price review, according to the CBK.
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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.
Global crude oil prices surged in the week ending Thursday, September 10, 2026, a development that could weigh heavily on Kenyan motorists and consumers ahead of the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority's (EPRA) monthly fuel pricing decision.
The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) attributed the spike to heightened concerns over oil supply risks stemming from renewed disruptions in the Middle East.
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The CBK flagged the price movement in its weekly bulletin published on Friday, September 11, noting that Murban crude oil climbed to USD 95.41 (KSh 12,354.64) per barrel on September 10, up from USD 86.01 (KSh 11,137.43) per barrel recorded just a week earlier on September 3.
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This represented a rise of KSh 1,217.21 per barrel.
The most recent increase followed a comparable gain the week before. The price of a barrel of Murban crude increased from KSh 10,594.14 (USD 81.78) on August 27 to KSh11,142.11 (USD 86.01) on September 3.
This was a KSh 547.97, or 5.2%, increase over the previous week. The successive weekly increases indicate that global crude oil prices are still under pressure to rise, primarily due to supply systems in oil-producing regions being disrupted by geopolitical tensions.
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The timing of the increase is particularly consequential for Kenyans. EPRA conducts its monthly fuel price review on the 14th of every month, with revised maximum pump prices coming into force from midnight on the 15th.
Each pricing cycle remains in effect for 30 days until the following month's review.
With the September 14 review now imminent, the sharp increase in international crude prices recorded over the past two weeks forms part of the global market data that feeds into EPRA's pricing formula.
Pump prices in Kenya for petrol, diesel, and kerosene are calculated based on a combination of landed import costs, taxes, levies, and regulatory margins, all of which are sensitive to movements in global crude benchmarks.
Consumers will be watching closely when EPRA publishes its September pricing schedule, as any upward revision would directly affect transport costs, household energy expenses, and the broader cost of living across the country.
Japhet Ruto (Current Affairs and Business Editor)
Japhet Ruto, an award-winning journalist, is a Business & Tech Editor at TUKO.co.ke (joined in 2019). Ruto has over nine years' experience and graduated from Moi University in 2015 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Journalism. He won the 2019 BAKE Awards’ Agriculture Blog of the Year. . Best CA editor 2019-2022. Best TUKO business editor 2023-2026. Attended the 2026 immersion training on customs and trade facilitation for digital and mainstream media. Email: japhet.ruto@tuko.co.ke.