Following weeks of citizen complaints and long queues forming at fuel stations, Brega Petroleum Marketing Company appears to have only acknowledged the existence of a real crisis by the time of Eid al-Adha. The company’s delayed statements came across as if they were “discovering” a situation that citizens had already been experiencing daily for weeks.
Despite a series of reassurances and repeated official statements from Brega Petroleum Marketing Company about fuel availability and stable distribution operations, streets in Tripoli and several other Libyan cities continued to witness long queues and severe congestion at fuel stations. This reflects a widening gap between the official narrative and the reality experienced by citizens.
While the company insists that fuel is available and distribution is functioning normally, citizens are forced to wait for hours in search of gasoline. Fuel stations have effectively become daily choke points, disrupting mobility and increasing public frustration, particularly during Eid al-Adha.
During the peak of the crisis, Brega attempted to distance itself from responsibility, stating that fuel supply and shipment procurement fall under the jurisdiction of the National Oil Corporation and other supervising authorities. It also pointed to reduced storage capacity in Tripoli since 2014 and the loss of strategic tanks, which has made supply dependent on tanker arrivals and unloading operations.
However, the company later described itself as the “main executive arm for distributing petroleum products in the domestic market,” raising questions about its actual operational role. This came in contrast to earlier statements suggesting its role is limited to receiving and unloading fuel, while allocation and distribution volumes are determined by relevant authorities and fuel committees.
Findings from Audit Reports on Brega
The Libyan Audit Bureau’s 2024 report highlighted several irregularities within Brega Petroleum Marketing Company, including delays in approving the company’s operational budget for 2024. The budget was only approved in the third quarter of the year, with expenditures in certain categories exceeding approved allocations.
The report also revealed that a committee assigned to prepare a guest house project exceeded its mandate by effectively acting as a tender committee. It solicited offers, compared bids, selected contractors, and approved spending of 3,160,000 Libyan dinars, in violation of procurement regulations governing the oil sector.
Additionally, the report documented a direct contract with “Awan Al-Arab Consulting” for operational planning, restructuring, and job description design, valued at $632,562. The contract was awarded through direct assignment, without clear justification for selecting the company or demonstrating compliance with applicable procurement provisions.
The Audit Bureau also noted inconsistencies in reported volumes of imported gasoline, diesel, and aviation kerosene. Discrepancies were found between recorded shipments and internal data across supply, transport, and planning departments.
Further findings showed differences between received quantities and shipping manifests for 2024, including an overall shortfall of 28,353.22 metric tons of gasoline, 13,476.18 metric tons of diesel, and 305.071 metric tons of aviation kerosene. No standardized acceptable loss ratio had been approved by the National Oil Corporation.
The report also indicated significant commercial and operational losses, including 7.31 million liters of gasoline and 2.84 million liters of diesel.
It further pointed to the use of large volumes of diesel in power generation stations without proper efficiency tracking, highlighting weak oversight and the need for precise measurement systems, meter calibration, and digital monitoring of transport and distribution operations.
Leadership Questions and Transparency Concerns
Amid the escalating fuel crisis and growing public demand for clarity, Brega’s board chairman, Fouad Belrahim, has been largely absent from the public scene. Meanwhile, the repeated appearance of his son, Khaled, in statements and company-related activities has raised questions—according to comments attributed to employees and officials—about internal decision-making structures within the company.
As responsibility continues to be debated among relevant institutions, broader questions emerge about transparency in managing this critical sector. According to a confidential version of a report by the Administrative Control Authority, there were noted failures to fully disclose local fuel production data and related supply figures, as well as withholding of information on actual market supply volumes.
Conclusion
With recurring queues and conflicting statements, citizens are left facing not only a fuel shortage but also a deeper crisis of information transparency. Between official data and on-the-ground reality, the central question remains: is the fuel crisis truly the result of supply shortages, or is it the outcome of mismanagement within a system long criticized for its lack of transparency?
