Cameroon is set to strengthen its energy sector with plans to begin fuel production at its new Mboro refinery by December 2026, a move expected to reduce the country’s dependence on imported petroleum products.
The refinery, located near the coastal city of Kribi in southern Cameroon, will initially process 10,000 barrels of crude oil per day. According to the country’s state oil company, Société Nationale des Hydrocarbures (SNH), the first phase of the project is expected to supply around 22 percent of local demand for petrol and diesel.
Construction of the facility is scheduled to begin in June, while the procurement and fabrication of equipment for the first phase will continue through September. The project forms part of a broader strategy to expand Cameroon’s refining capacity to 30,000 barrels per day by 2027.
The development comes as Cameroon works to rebuild its refining industry following the shutdown of the Sonara refinery, which was severely damaged by a fire in 2019. Sonara, previously the country’s main refining facility, has remained largely out of operation since the incident.
Officials believe the Mboro refinery will play a key role in addressing domestic fuel shortages and improving energy security. The government also hopes the facility will position Cameroon as a more significant supplier of refined petroleum products within the Central African region.
The refinery project carries an estimated investment cost of $520 million. Funding will come from a combination of shareholder contributions and debt financing. BGFI Bank is expected to lead a financing consortium that will provide about $210 million in loans for the project.
Ownership of the refinery is shared among SNH, which holds a 20 percent stake, state-owned petroleum marketer Tradex with 31 percent, and Dubai-based Ariana Energy, which controls the remaining 49 percent.
In addition to the refinery, plans are underway to build a petroleum products storage terminal with a capacity of 250,000 barrels at the Mboro site. Future expansion plans include additional storage facilities for diesel, petrol, aviation fuel and kerosene.
The project is expected to significantly reduce Cameroon’s fuel import bill while supporting the country’s long-term goal of achieving greater self-sufficiency in the petroleum sector.
