Fuel shortages still show up as long queues at filling stations in Lilongwe, Blantyre, and Mzuzu. Before you burn fuel hunting for a pump, check local WhatsApp groups, station pages, and radio bulletins the same morning.
Carry cash and your vehicle papers. Some stations serve only a few litres per car when a tanker is late. If you see a queue wrapping around the block, it is often faster to wait for the next delivery than to join a line that has already run dry.
Prices are set nationally. A station that looks empty is usually a supply problem, not a secret cheaper pump.