Charcoal prices jumped to their highest level in 78 months in June, deepening the squeeze on poor families already grappling with rising prices of alternative fuels such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and kerosene.

Fresh data shows the average national price of a kilo of charcoal hit Sh96.79 in June 2026, the highest point since January 2020, when it stood at Sh152.25, marking a relentless demand-fuelled rally in the cost of the commodity.

Analysis of the average retail prices of cooking fuels reveals a double blow for poor households because the cost of LPG and kerosene has also been climbing in recent months, thus limiting their options in terms of affordability.

For example, a litre of kerosene retails at a record Sh191.38 in Nairobi under the current monthly pricing cycle running to September 14, 2026, while LPG prices have climbed steadily over 18 months to settle at a high of Sh3,470.82 for a 13-kilogramme cylinder.

The average LPG price in June 2026 was, however, slightly lower than the Sh3,471.58 recorded in May, but still in a record-high range.

This scenario presents a quandary for poor households in Kenya, which rely on charcoal for cooking mainly due to its accessibility and affordability compared with other alternative energy sources.

Charcoal prices have been rising steadily since the Government banned logging in 2018 to protect the country’s forests and preserve water towers.

Charcoal can often be purchased in small, affordable quantities, which makes it a preferred choice for households, especially those with irregular or low incomes.

The impact is also felt by small businesses such as restaurants, hotels and roadside sellers who use charcoal to prepare meals.

Read: Poor households hit as charcoal prices at five-year record

Kerosene prices rose sharply by Sh38.60 per litre in May 2026 to hit Sh191.38 per litre following an emergency mid-cycle adjustment by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (Epra) to plug a substantial price gap be-tween diesel and kerosene and prevent illegal fuel adulteration.

The move by Epra followed concerns by oil marketers that the price gap of Sh54 between the two grades of fuel could motivate rogue dealers to increase diesel volumes using kerosene to boost their profits in a process popularly referred to as adulteration.

Adulteration refers to the use of kerosene to increase the volume of other fuels, mainly diesel, leading to bigger profits for rogue dealers.

Adulteration mainly occurs between diesel and kerosene due to their similar properties, such as density.

Adulterated fuel triggers premature or uneven ignition, thus disrupting combustion and potentially causing engine seizures, highlighting the risk it poses to vehicles, industrial and farm machinery. Dirty fuel also releases higher amounts of hydrocarbons, which in turn pollute the environment.

Huge price gaps in the past significantly encouraged the use of kerosene to adulterate diesel as rogue dealers raced to increase their revenues at the expense of vehicle, farm and industrial machinery owners.

→skathoni@ke.nationmedia.com

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