Port Vila, 11th May 2026 — The Government of Vanuatu announced a Vt 766 million fuel support package to help ni-Vanuatu households, transport operators, and essential services cope with rising global fuel prices. This was announced by the Prime Minister after its approval by the Council of Ministers on 30th April 2026.
The package is funded under emergency provisions of the Public Finance and Economic Management Act and covers five areas: inter-island shipping (Vt 114 million), taxis, buses, and common transport vehicles (Vt 150 million), electricity generation (Vt 192 million), aviation (Vt 110 million), and a Vt 200 million reserve held in case food prices require a further response.
Initially the Government will move to quickly issue payments to buses, taxis and common transport vehicle operators.
Direct payments to these will be made through Vanuatu Post. Taxi owners will receive Vt 25,000, bus owners Vt 50,000, and common transport vehicle owners Vt 50,000. This will be a one-off payment to help cover the increases in the fuel costs. To qualify, operators must hold a valid 2026 vehicle permit and business license, both obtained before 31 April 2026, and a National ID card. The Government will identify those operators which meet these requirements, and payments will be sent to the phone number on file with permit records. Operators are encouraged to ensure their registration details are current, and details will be provided for those who are missed to provide documentation and receive support.
Electricity providers, UNELCO, VanPawa, and VUI, and aviation operators: Air Vanuatu, Unity, Air Taxi, and Belair, will receive monthly per-litre fuel subsidies paid by the Department of Finance and Treasury, based on reported purchases. For electricity, these subsidies will be reflected in regulated prices set by the Utilities Regulatory Authority (URA) as soon as possible. More details on this will be provided soon by the Department of Finance and Treasury in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Management.
Further details on support for public transport boat operators and inter-island shipping will be announced in the following week.