Egypt's Ministry of Supply has received a number of complaints about suspected "gasoline adulteration", Mamdouh William, head of the ministry's Central Administration for Control Affairs, told Al Manassa.
The complaints follow a surge of social media posts in recent hours, with users sharing images and videos alleging that fuel adulteration has caused cars to break down shortly after refuelling.
Two sources from the Federation of Chambers of Commerce told Al Manassa that demand for car fuel pumps has spiked in recent hours, linking the surge to concerns over fuel quality at gas stations. One of the sources attributed the trend to "problems in fuel quality at stations" that may be affecting vehicle performance.
Furthermore, Montasser Zaytoun, a member of the Automotive Division at the General Federation of Egyptian told Al Manassa there has been a "significant uptick" in customers replacing fuel pumps.
"Repair centers are seeing unprecedented demand, and some auto agents are refusing to cover pump damage under warranty," Zaytoun said. "They're blaming poor fuel quality, not manufacturing defects."
In response, the Ministry of Petroleum issued a statement on Monday asserting that fuel samples collected from both distribution depots and refineries meet Egyptian quality standards.
William said the Minister of Supply Sherif Farouk has instructed authorities to intensify fuel station inspections. Random samples are being collected and tested to verify fuel quality and detect potential contamination, such as water mixing.
He noted that results would take about a week and stressed that fuel quality cannot be assessed visually.
Noureldin Darwish, vice president of the Chamber of Commerce's auto division, noted that fuel pump replacement could be triggered by multiple factors, including pump wear and tear, unsuitable fuel types, water contamination, or neglected maintenance.
"If any fuel station is found guilty of fraud, an official report will be filed and the case will be referred to the public prosecutor," William said.
On his end, head of Cairo's Supply Directorate Ahmed Fadel confirmed that random sampling from gas stations is under way and being sent to central laboratories for testing.
"So far, no violations have been detected," Fadel told Al Manassa. "But if any are confirmed, legal measures will be taken immediately against those involved."
