Zambia will return to allowing open access to the land-locked nation's sole fuel-import pipeline by January, according to Ministry of Energy Permanent Secretary Ephraim Munshifwa. The state-owned company operating the Tazama pipeline connecting Zambia's copper-mining region with the Tanzanian port of Dar es Salaam had earlier asked companies to pre-qualify to supply diesel starting in October. The IMF earlier urged the government to restore open access as soon as possible.

In response to the Iran war's impact on global energy supplies, Zambia halted open access earlier this year and entered into a deal with Vitol Group to use the pipeline exclusively. The government said it did so as an emergency measure and would soon return to a competitive bidding system.