Millions of Kenyans living in informal settlements are in crisis following a major shortage of KOKO Fuel reported across multiple parts of the country.
Nairobi News has established that the sudden scarcity of the popular ethanol-based cooking gel has triggered widespread panic among households that rely heavily on the product for daily cooking.
The shortage, which has affected Nairobi and other regions, has raised concerns about the future stability of the clean-cooking solution.
Once a lifeline for affordable and clean cooking in slums such as Kibera, Mathare, and Korogocho, KOKO’s ethanol gel fuel has now become as elusive as rain in December, leaving thousands wondering whether the company is experiencing supply challenges or has shifted focus away from its core consumer base.
This publication has learnt that many vendors and users of KOKO Fuel have been facing unusually long queues, some stretching for blocks, at the few remaining refill stations still operational.
“We’ve been trekking from Kibera to Ngara since Monday, carrying empty canisters like refugees,” said Fatuma Achieng, a mama mboga from Laini Saba whose KOKO Fuel refilling stall has seen its output slashed due to the shortage.
“KOKO was our secret weapon, cheap and smokeless. Now we’re back to charcoal, coughing and paying double,” she added.
Similar struggles have been reported in Mukuru and Dandora, where KOKO Fuel has long been essential for preparing everyday meals like ugali and chapati.
KOKO Networks, the innovative firm behind the smart cooking solution, entered the Kenyan market in 2017, positioning itself as a game-changer for low-income urban communities.
With over 780,000 users nationwide, its system uses app-linked dispensers that provide measured fuel portions, cutting cooking costs by up to 60 percent compared to LPG or firewood, while also combating deforestation and reducing indoor air pollution.
Many informal settlements adopted the pay-as-you-go model, enabled through M-Pesa, due to its affordability, safety, and convenience.
“It was revolutionary,” recalled environmental activist Jane Wanjiku from the Green Belt Movement.
“Families saved on health bills from smoke-related illnesses, and women spent less time searching for firewood.”
However, signs of trouble had begun surfacing months before the current crisis.
Sources within KOKO Fuel attribute the shortage to a “perfect storm”: global ethanol price spikes linked to Brazil’s drought-affected harvests, coupled with Kenya’s ongoing forex shortages that have hindered imports.
A source within the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), speaking anonymously, confirmed that KOKO’s supply chain relies heavily on imported bioethanol.
Recent EPRA audits flagged delays in vessel clearances at the Mombasa port, further straining supply.
“It’s not just KOKO; smaller alternative-fuel suppliers are also affected. But because KOKO serves urban communities where fuel options are limited, the impact feels harsher,” the source noted.
Meanwhile, many of those affected by the shortage are blaming the Kenyan government, accusing it of introducing politics into the matter.
Some claim the Kenya Kwanza administration may have struck a deal with Safaricom’s M-Gas to boost its market share.
Others allege that certain government officials are intent on undermining KOKO Fuel in favour of M-Gas while pursuing kickbacks.
Nairobi News cannot independently verify these allegations but continues to follow up on the matter and will provide updates as new details emerge.
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