Nigeria’s Dangote Petroleum Refinery has announced plans to construct a large-scale fuel storage facility in Walvis Bay, Namibia, as part of its strategy to expand fuel distribution across Southern Africa.
The proposed storage tanks will have the capacity to hold at least 1.6 million barrels of gasoline and diesel, reinforcing the $20 billion refinery’s ambition to become a dominant force in Africa’s fuel supply chain.
According to officials, the facility will serve as a strategic hub for delivering refined products to Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
This move aligns with Dangote’s broader vision to reduce Africa’s reliance on imported fuels and to position Nigeria as a regional export leader.
Since its operational launch in 2024, the 650,000 barrels-per-day refinery—the largest in Africa—has steadily increased production, recently exporting its first gasoline cargo to Asia.
While details on the cost and timeline of the Namibia project remain undisclosed, a Namibian Ports Authority official confirmed the development, noting that the tanks will be located within Walvis Bay harbour.
Dangote’s southern Africa expansion is expected to reshape the region’s energy logistics, offering more stable and efficient access to refined products and potentially lowering fuel costs.
As the refinery scales toward full capacity, its impact continues to reverberate across Africa’s energy and trade landscape—bolstering Nigeria’s economic influence and supporting broader continental efforts toward energy self-sufficiency.
Image Credit: Nigerian NewsDirect
