“They Live in One World, While Citizens Live in Another”: Libya’s Fuel Crisis Deepens as Petrol Queues Grow

Despite assurances from Libya’s National Oil Corporation that production has resumed at oil facilities in Zawiya following a de-escalation of the situation, and that there is no need for citizens to form queues at petrol stations, long lines have been forming at stations across the country for around 10 days.

Turkey’s Anadolu Agency reported on Wednesday that the situation has been exacerbated by daily power cuts lasting between four and 10 hours, which have affected the country for approximately three months.

Petrol stations without generators are unable to operate during these outages, leading to an increasing number of vehicles waiting to refuel at stations that remain operational.

Libya’s Fuel Crisis Worsens Amid Power Cuts

According to Anadolu Agency, congestion at petrol stations has intensified as Libyans arrive carrying fuel containers to purchase petrol for their electricity generators.

Anadolu’s correspondent interviewed several Libyans who had been waiting in petrol station queues for hours.

“I Have Been Waiting for an Hour and a Half”

Yousef Ali, who traveled to the capital from Zintan, a city located around 170 kilometers south of Tripoli, said he did not know the exact cause of the fuel crisis.

However, he suggested that power outages and disruptions in oil supplies to the domestic market could be contributing to the long queues.

Ali, who was waiting in a long queue at a petrol station in the capital, said:

“I have been waiting here for an hour and a half. There is no petrol in Zintan, where I live. I came here to get fuel, fill my car’s tank, and take a container of petrol home.”

According to Anadolu, fuel smuggling is not the only problem.

The price of diesel has reportedly reached 9 dinars per liter. Even people whose fuel tanks are already three-quarters full are reportedly joining queues to refill them.

“There is a kind of panic among people,” Ali said. “Those who already have petrol should not be waiting in the queue. They should use what they have for another day or two until the crisis eases and the situation calms down.”

Diesel Shortages Affect Hospitals and Healthcare

Ali also pointed to difficulties in finding diesel.

Because large generators operate on diesel, the Libya fuel crisis is also having a negative impact on hospitals and the healthcare system.

He criticized the authorities for their inability to resolve the situation, saying:

“The authorities are unable to solve the problem. They live in one world, while citizens live in another. God will provide a way out for these people. Some petrol stations do not even have generators.”

“This Is Not the First Fuel Crisis”

Abdullah Hayali, who was also waiting in a fuel queue, said fuel crises occur repeatedly in Libya and that the current situation is not the first of its kind.

Hayali said he had been waiting in line for two hours.

He explained:

“The main reason is the power cuts. Some petrol stations do not have generators. But how long can they continue operating with generators? I hope the government finds a solution to these problems because it is unreasonable for the situation to continue like this.”

Hayali said citizens expect the authorities to pay greater attention to people’s living conditions and expressed hope that the crisis would be resolved as quickly as possible.

“I wish they would solve our electricity, water and petrol crises. Citizens are tired.”

He added that the queues had eased somewhat the previous day, but long lines had formed again outside petrol stations today.

Power Cuts Are Making the Fuel Crisis Worse

Ayman Othman, a resident of Tripoli, told Anadolu that electricity cuts are affecting every aspect of daily life and are making the fuel crisis even more severe.

Othman noted that queues at petrol stations had become longer over the previous two days and called on the authorities to take immediate measures to resolve the problem, according to the Turkish agency.

The latest developments highlight the close connection between Libya’s electricity and fuel problems.

As power cuts force households, businesses, and institutions to rely increasingly on generators, demand for petrol and diesel rises. At the same time, stations that depend on electricity to operate may themselves be unable to serve customers during outages.

The result is a cycle in which power shortages increase fuel demand, while fuel shortages further complicate people’s ability to cope with power cuts.

For citizens, the crisis is therefore no longer limited to waiting at petrol stations. It is affecting transportation, businesses, healthcare, household electricity supplies, and everyday life across the country.