Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has announced a $56 million (US$39.95m) government response to cushion Fijians from sharply rising global fuel costs, while stressing that the nation’s supplies remain secure despite international disruptions. Rabuka outlined the latest stock and delivery figures on Friday, saying the package will be funded from within the existing 2025–2026 Budget and is not new borrowing.
As of April 19, Fiji had about 45 million litres of fuel on land, with a further 22 million litres expected to arrive before the end of April, bringing total April availability to roughly 67 million litres — close to half of national storage capacity. Daily national consumption is running at about 2.5 million litres, Rabuka said. He warned that stocks will draw down to some 40 million litres, or about 29 percent of capacity, by the end of the month; that level equates to roughly 16 days’ average consumption.
Looking ahead, suppliers have committed to deliver about 118 million litres in May, which Rabuka said will lift national stocks back to more than 59 percent of storage capacity. “This means Fiji remains in a stable supply position. There is no shortage. We are currently operating in Phase 1 — a normal supply situation, but under pressure from high global fuel prices,” he told reporters.
Rabuka placed the root cause squarely at the global level. He cited the war in the Middle East, disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and broader increases in international fuel costs as driving the spike. “Fuel is purchased in US dollars, and when global prices increase, those increases are passed through to our domestic market,” he said, noting that the independent price regulator, the Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission (FCCC), implemented a fuel price rise on April 1 and may approve another adjustment in May.
Cabinet approved the redeployment of $56m on April 21 to “respond to the impact of the global fuel crisis,” Rabuka said. The funds will be reprioritised from delayed projects in the current budget to provide immediate support for families, businesses and essential services, he added, without giving a detailed breakdown of how the money will be spent.
The prime minister’s announcement is the latest development in a story governments across the Pacific have been monitoring for weeks. Earlier coverage in March warned that escalating tensions in the Middle East and potential closures of the Strait of Hormuz could push international oil prices higher and disrupt supplies, prompting heightened scrutiny by Fiji’s authorities and the FCCC.
While the supply outlook for May appears stronger, the immediate concern for households and businesses is price. Rabuka’s intervention aims to blunt the impact, but with the independent regulator signaling further adjustments, consumers should expect continued upward pressure on pump prices in the near term.