Endless lines of vehicles snake through the streets of Bamako, Mali’s capital, as drivers wait—sometimes for hours on end—in a desperate search for fuel. It’s a scene that’s become all too familiar since early September, when a militant group affiliated with al-Qaida, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), imposed a blockade on fuel imports to the city. The result? A city under siege, its economy teetering, and its residents growing increasingly anxious about what tomorrow might bring.
On Monday night, October 6, 2025, the crisis hit a new low. According to the Associated Press, lines at gas stations stretched late into the night, with many commuters leaving empty-handed. Amadou Berthé, a bank employee in Bamako, described his ordeal: he traveled 20 kilometers by motorcycle taxi in search of gas for his car, only for it to break down from lack of fuel on his way home. “I’ve been to more than 20 gas stations and still can’t find any fuel,” Berthé said, sitting on the back of a motorcycle with an empty jerry can on his knees.
The blockade isn’t just a minor inconvenience—it’s a full-blown crisis that’s threatening to unravel the fragile fabric of Mali’s economy. The AP reports that JNIM militants have relentlessly attacked fuel tankers coming from neighboring Senegal and Ivory Coast. Over 100 tanker trucks have been burned and destroyed, according to a September report from the Malian Petroleum Importers Association. The militants’ campaign has made the roads perilous for drivers and left the capital’s fuel supply in tatters.
Some oil importers are trying to adapt, but the risks are immense. As one Malian fuel importer—who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity out of fear of reprisals—explained, “I transport fuel in my tankers from Dakar (the capital of Senegal) to the border with Mali, where I sell it to traders who then take the risk of bringing it into Mali. Of course, I don’t earn much, but it’s the only way I’ve found to keep my employees and tanker trucks safe.” It’s a stopgap measure at best, and one that highlights just how dangerous the situation has become for those involved in the fuel trade.
Meanwhile, videos have circulated on social media in recent weeks, appearing to show truck drivers being held hostage by JNIM fighters. The Associated Press was unable to independently verify the footage, but the stories behind the images are all too real. Some tanker drivers have reportedly been killed, including two cousins of Bamako resident Lamine Kounta. Kounta told the AP that his relatives, both from Ivory Coast, were killed by JNIM fighters at the end of September in the Sikasso region, near the border with Ivory Coast. “They had nothing to do with this crisis or Mali. My cousins worked for an Ivorian road construction company and were in Mali to get equipment when they encountered JNIM fighters, who killed them,” he said. The Ivorian company CIVOTECH confirmed the deaths of two fuel tanker drivers and an apprentice driver on September 21, 2025, in the Sikasso region.
For many in Bamako, daily life has become a test of endurance and ingenuity. Some residents have taken to using alternative means of transportation, while others simply wait, hoping for a break in the blockade. But with militants targeting fuel convoys and burning trucks, relief seems a long way off. The blockade has endangered not just the transporters but also the ordinary people who rely on fuel for work, school, and basic needs.
Despite being one of Africa’s top gold producers, Mali remains one of the least developed nations in the world. Nearly half its population lives below the national poverty line, as highlighted by both AP and Devdiscourse. The fuel crisis has only deepened the country’s economic woes, disrupting local businesses, public transportation, and essential services. The shortages have also led to price hikes for whatever fuel is available, putting even more strain on already struggling households.
The crisis is a major setback for Mali’s military junta, which took power in 2021 with promises to improve security. Instead, attacks from militants linked to both al-Qaida and the Islamic State group have intensified in recent months. Analysts quoted by the AP and Devdiscourse say that JNIM is using the blockade as leverage, pressuring commercial operators and residents to distance themselves from the military authorities. The goal? To undermine the government’s legitimacy and authority, and to sow further chaos in a region already plagued by instability.
Beverly Ochieng, an analyst at the Control Risks Group consulting firm, explained that the blockade is part of a broader strategy by JNIM to erode confidence in the government. The Sahel region, where Mali is located, has become a hotbed of insurgent activity, with armed groups launching large-scale attacks and spreading fear across borders. The blockade in Bamako is just one front in a much larger conflict that stretches from North Africa to West Africa.
In response to the escalating crisis, the Malian army has begun escorting some truck convoys on the roads between Bamako and the borders with Senegal and Ivory Coast. On October 6, 2025, the army announced it had destroyed the hideouts of the JNIM fighters responsible for a recent attack on a tanker convoy in the Kolondiéba area, near the Ivory Coast border. It’s a show of force meant to reassure the public and restore confidence, but whether it will be enough to break the blockade remains to be seen.
Efforts to import fuel via alternative routes have met with limited success and considerable peril. Some traders are willing to take the risk, but most are wary of running afoul of militants who have shown little hesitation in targeting anyone associated with the fuel trade. The blockade has exposed the vulnerabilities of Mali’s supply chains and the limits of the government’s ability to protect its citizens.
The impact of the crisis is being felt across all sectors of society. Businesses are struggling to keep their doors open, public transportation is grinding to a halt, and families are forced to make tough choices about how to spend their dwindling resources. For many, the blockade is a stark reminder of just how precarious life can be in a country beset by conflict and poverty.
As the fuel crisis drags on, the mood in Bamako is one of frustration and uncertainty. Residents are angry at the militants for imposing the blockade, but many are also losing faith in the government’s ability to provide security and basic services. The military junta, which once promised a new era of stability, now faces mounting criticism as the crisis deepens.
For now, the people of Bamako wait—hoping for a solution, but preparing for the long haul. The city’s fuel crisis has become a symbol of the broader challenges facing Mali: insecurity, poverty, and a government struggling to assert its authority in the face of relentless militant threats. The road ahead looks difficult, but for those caught in the endless lines at the gas stations, there’s little choice but to keep moving forward, one uncertain mile at a time.
