Bujumbura : the charcoal shortage stifles households

SOS Médias Burundi

Bujumbura, March 26, 2026 — The charcoal shortage is reaching alarming proportions in several neighborhoods of the commercial capital of this small east African nation. Merchants and residents alike are making a stark observation : the product is becoming scarce while prices are skyrocketing.

At the sales points, merchants describe a situation that has become difficult to control. “Half a bag now sells for around 100,000 Burundi francs, while a full bag can reach 250,000 francs,” says a vendor interviewed on site. This sharp increase is putting a heavy strain on household budgets.

In the neighborhoods, concern is growing. Several residents say the cost of living was already high, but this new crisis is further worsening their living conditions. “Before, a small household could spend around 5,000 francs a day on charcoal. Now, that amount has almost doubled,” says a resident of Gihosha, in the north of the city.

For some families, the situation is becoming critical. “We already struggle to find enough to eat, and now the lack of charcoal for cooking makes our daily lives even more difficult,” says a resident, visibly worried.

From the merchants’ perspective, the causes of this shortage are structural. Claude Karenzo, a charcoal seller, points to the depletion of forest resources in the interior of the country. “There are hardly any trees left, especially in the south. The forests have shrunk considerably,” he says.

This situation highlights a major environmental issue. Heavy reliance on charcoal is contributing to accelerated deforestation in several regions of the country, weakening ecosystems and exacerbating the effects of climate change. The gradual disappearance of forest cover not only reduces the supply of charcoal but also threatens the livelihoods of many rural communities.

In the region, several countries have gradually begun a transition to more sustainable domestic energy sources. In Rwanda, the authorities are actively promoting the use of cooking gas and alternative solutions such as eco-friendly briquettes through subsidy policies and partnerships with the private sector. In Kenya, government programs and private initiatives are facilitating access to domestic gas, including installment payment schemes tailored to low-income households. In Tanzania, similar efforts are underway to reduce reliance on charcoal, with awareness campaigns and support mechanisms for purchasing gas cylinders.

Beyond awareness campaigns, these countries have established financing mechanisms that enable even the poorest households to access cooking gas. This dynamic contrasts sharply with the situation in Burundi, where public policies regarding domestic energy remain limited and largely inaccessible to a significant portion of the population.

For several observers, the lack of concrete, large-scale measures, particularly regarding gas subsidies or the promotion of sustainable alternatives, contributes to maintaining households’ increased dependence on charcoal.

Faced with this crisis, residents and vendors are calling for an urgent response from the authorities, including more inclusive energy policies, the protection of forest resources, and the implementation of accessible solutions for the most vulnerable populations. Without swift intervention, they warn, the situation could worsen in the coming months.