Cameroon has officially broken ground on a new oil refinery and storage facility in the port city of Kribi, aiming to reduce its heavy dependence on imported fuel. The project is part of a broader effort to rebuild the country’s refining capacity after the 2019 fire that crippled the Sonara refinery.

The refinery, spearheaded by the CSTAR Refinery project and backed by the state-run National Hydrocarbons Company (SNH), is designed to process up to 30,000 barrels of crude oil per day. It will mainly refine local crude from the Ebome field and is expected to slash Cameroon’s fuel imports by up to 30% within three years of completion.

Sitting on a 250-hectare site, the industrial zone will also feature a large-scale fuel storage depot with a capacity ranging from 250,000 to 300,000 tonnes. Equipment for the facility is currently being prefabricated in Abu Dhabi, with the commissioning date set for June 2028.

Funding for the project is split between international and domestic sources, with 60% coming from global financiers—including BGFI Bank—and the remaining 40% from Cameroonian stakeholders such as SNH and Ariana Energies.

Beyond its role in boosting energy security, the Kribi refinery is also expected to create new jobs and offer training programs for local youth, making it a major anchor for regional industrial development. Officials hope the project will serve as a blueprint for energy transformation and economic resilience across Central Africa.