Petrol in Ethiopia?

Hi,

I'm currently driving through Africa and was wondering about the cost and availability of petrol in Ethiopia as we've been told by some travellers that there is currently a shortage. Thanks.

It was about 7.4 Birr a liter when I was there (Jan-early Mar. 2009); fuel shortages were common in the south but they seemed short-lived. We did run into problems off the beaten track (around the Bale Mountains) and had to do some "negotiations" to get some when they were rationing ... its probably best to ask around as you get close.

Every once in a while the fuel runs out for a few days. You never know when it's going to happen, and it usually doesn't happen for more than a few days. There is an extreme shortage of foreign currency in Ethiopia at the moment, which could be one of the reasons.