Africa is poised for a defining moment. With many economies across the continent projected to grow faster than ever before, the opportunity to leap into a cleaner, more sustainable future has never been more tangible. But with that growth comes a pressing challenge: transportation emissions and air pollution in rapidly expanding cities.
Urban centres across Africa are swelling in size and activity, filled with a mix of trucks, buses, motorcycles, and second-hand imports. As a result, many of these cities now face high levels of air pollution fuelled in large part by low-quality fuels and outdated vehicles. This pollution affects not just the environment but public health, with millions exposed to harmful emissions every day.
Addressing this crisis will require a coordinated, continent-wide shift to cleaner fuels and modern vehicle standards. Martina Biene, the Chairperson and Managing Director of Volkswagen Group Africa says that Volkswagen Group Africa, alongside other stakeholders, stand ready to support this transformation.
While many African countries take cues from European emissions regulations, most have struggled to adopt or enforce them due to a single, often overlooked barrier: fuel quality.
In Europe, tailpipe emissions have been progressively regulated since the introduction of Euro 1 standards in 1992. Today’s Euro 6 regulations soon to be replaced by Euro 7 require low-emission vehicle technologies and cleaner fuels, including petrol and diesel with sulphur content no higher than 10 parts per million (ppm). By contrast, in Africa, sulphur content in fuels can reach as high as 10,000 ppm. Such poor fuel quality renders modern vehicle emissions systems ineffective, forcing vehicle owners to remove catalytic converters or tamper with onboard sensors.
The 2016 Public Eye report brought global attention to this issue, branding Africa a dumping ground for “dirty diesel.” By 2022, surveys showed Africa still had over 20 different fuel grades in use, with wildly inconsistent sulphur levels and continued use of metallic additives like manganese, lead, and iron banned elsewhere for their harmful health and environmental effects.
The consequences of these disparities are widespread. Engines suffer increased wear, emissions soar, and vital components like spark plugs and oxygen sensors are damaged. Beyond sulphur and metals, fuel properties like octane, cetane, and density must meet strict technical specifications to support cleaner engine operation and emissions control. Without this, even the most advanced vehicle technologies cannot perform as intended.
Despite the challenges, change is underway. East Africa is taking a lead, with Kenya and Uganda committing to fuel quality improvements aligned with Euro 4 and potentially Euro 6 standards. The region has shifted from local refining to direct imports from international suppliers, who are now delivering higher-quality fuels with sulphur levels as low as 50 ppm, with plans to reduce further.
South Africa, once home to six refineries, has seen slow progress. Its Clean Fuels 2 initiative designed to meet Euro 5 standards has been repeatedly delayed and is now set for 2027. Until then, Euro 2 remains the default. Meanwhile, West Africa’s oil-rich nations face another kind of hurdle: aging refineries that need costly upgrades to produce cleaner fuels. While countries like Ghana and Ivory Coast show promise, others rely on public-private partnerships to bridge the gap.
One promising solution lies in ethanol-based additives. Ethanol, especially when derived from agricultural waste, can raise octane levels and cut emissions. Countries like Zimbabwe and Uganda are already exploring this route, converting sugarcane and crop waste into fuel-grade ethanol.
The road to cleaner mobility in Africa won’t be easy, but the benefits are clear: healthier populations, reduced emissions, lower vehicle maintenance costs, and long-term economic resilience. The challenge is to align legislation, regulation, and enforcement and to do so in a way that brings all nations along together.
The transition must be just, coordinated, and time-bound. Without it, Africa risks becoming a global outlier, burdened with obsolete technology and worsening public health.
With a unified vision, Africa can seize this moment to build a cleaner, smarter, and healthier transport future one that serves its people and protects its potential.