A viral video by content creator William Kimm—known online as GTR Tanuki—has put the spotlight on the quality of premium fuel products in Kenya. On Sunday morning, Tanuki uploaded footage showing fuel tests at seven different stations, alleging that some premium fuels underperformed compared to regular options.
He singled out Shell V-Power, noting an instance where V-Power recorded 87 PON, while the standard fuel from the same station reached 91 PON. Tanuki’s findings appeared to contradict the widely held assumption that premium fuel consistently outperforms regular alternatives.
Vivo Energy, which markets Shell products in Kenya, has since responded with an official statement reiterating its adherence to recognized benchmarks. “Our fuel imports into Kenya adhere to strict quality standards, with two standard Research Octane Number (RON) categories: Unleaded (RON 93) and Shell V-Power (RON 95). Each shipment is certified at source and undergoes further rigorous testing upon arrival into the country,” the company stated.
Vivo Energy emphasized it applies the highest level of scrutiny before distributing fuel to its retail network. “At Vivo Energy Kenya, we have stringent quality control measures in place at our depots to ensure that all fuels meet the required standards before being distributed through our nationwide Shell service station network,” the statement read.
Some of the findings from the viral video however came as a shock to many Kenyans.
Astrol – a second tier petroleum company, performed quite well, with a 91 PON – significantly higher than supposedly superior V-Power.
It was a pleasant surprise for Kenyans, many who have until now never given Astrol a second glance. This is despite the company, for the longest time now, running a Sh5 off discount. Explaining how they are able to afford this permanent offer, Astrol Petroleum revealed how they’ve been able to bring down their running costs.
Apparently the secret is owning (not leasing) the land their stations sit on, and no franchising.
“Why is our fuel cheap is one of the most asked questions. Here’s why. 1. We import fuel in bulk 2. All our stations sit on OUR land hence no leasing costs 3. All our stations are company owned, no franchises We will ALWAYS give you the BEST prices while maintaining quality.”
Why is our fuel cheap is one of the most asked questions. Here’s why.
1. We import fuel in bulk
2. All our stations sit on OUR land hence no leasing costs
3. All our stations are company owned, no franchisesWe will ALWAYS give you the BEST prices while maintaining quality.
— Astrol Petroleum (@astrol_info) February 3, 2025
Founded by Muranga billionaire Kamau Kabugi, who died in 2019, Astrol boasts of 14 stations, all but 3 being within Nairobi. Mr Kabugi made waves in 2015 when he issued a public newspaper apology after his company Astrol Petroleum sold contaminated fuel.
