Erbil launches e-card system for subsidized gasoline distribution
Shafaq News- Erbil
Authorities in Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), began implementing a new electronic card and coupon system for distributing subsidized gasoline on Monday, aiming to regulate fuel access for vehicle owners and ease shortages and long queues that have affected the city in recent days.
Under a decision issued by the Directorate of Oil and Minerals, motorists will receive subsidized gasoline using the electronic card previously introduced for household cooking gas distribution. Each beneficiary will be allowed to purchase 40 liters per transaction, up to twice a week, at a subsidized price of 750 Iraqi dinars (about $0.57) per liter.
The electronic card was launched earlier this year to organize fuel distribution and was initially limited to household cooking gas. Under the system, each family is entitled to one gas cylinder every 15 days at 8,500 Iraqi dinars (about $6.49).
Shafaq News correspondent reported that the new gasoline distribution system was introduced on a trial basis at a fuel station in Erbil on Monday morning. Station staff electronically scan each card before dispensing the allocated quantity of fuel.
The measure follows a worsening gasoline shortage across Erbil, where most fuel stations experienced depleted or limited supplies over the past week. The shortages led to long queues of vehicles outside stations that continued operating with restricted volumes despite recent government decisions to reduce fuel prices.
Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) spokesperson Peshawa Hawramani told Shafaq News that officials had held an expanded meeting with gasoline traders to address the shortage, urging fuel station owners to reduce their profit margins and prioritize public needs, while drivers reported waiting for hours before stations ran out of fuel, disrupting their daily work and travel.
Before the supply shortage intensified, commercial fuel prices stood at around 2,000 Iraqi dinars (about $1.53) per liter for super gasoline, 1,750 dinars (about $1.34) for premium gasoline, and more than 1,300 dinars (about $0.99) for regular gasoline. Many stations later ran out of these fuel grades.
KRGI has capped the price of commercially sold regular gasoline at 850 Iraqi dinars (about $0.65) per liter, while maintaining the subsidized gasoline price at 750 dinars (about $0.57) per liter. However, supply shortages have prevented the new pricing policy from being fully reflected across the market.
On Sunday, Erbil's Directorate of Oil and Minerals imposed penalties against 28 fuel stations after inspectors found cases of fuel quality misrepresentation, including the sale of regular gasoline as premium fuel and premium gasoline as super gasoline.
