Cameroon’s Kribi Oil Refinery to Begin Partial Operations in 2026, Nearly Two Years Ahead of Schedule
Cameroon’s Kribi oil refinery is set to begin partial operations in the second half of 2026, almost two years earlier than its originally planned start date of June 2028, marking a significant milestone in the country’s efforts to strengthen energy security.
In its initial phase, the refinery is expected to process around 10,000 barrels of crude oil per day—approximately one-third of its designed capacity of 30,000 barrels per day.
At this level, the facility will be able to supply an estimated 22 percent of Cameroon’s domestic demand for diesel and gasoline.
Backed by partners including Cstar Petroleum, Cameroon’s national oil company SNH, Tradex SA, and Ariana Energy, the project is designed to reduce fuel imports by nearly one-third.
This is expected to ease pressure on the country’s foreign exchange reserves while improving the availability and reliability of fuel supplies nationwide.
Preparatory work is already underway, including the construction of a base camp, with full-scale construction scheduled to begin in January 2026.
The refinery forms part of SNH’s broader energy development strategy and is being built on a 250-hectare site located about five kilometers from the Kribi deep-water port.
According to project updates, front-end engineering design (FEED) studies are approximately 80 percent complete, indicating steady progress toward the main construction phase.
The project is being executed by Dubai-based special purpose vehicle CSTAR Refinery Project Management LLC-FZ. Once fully operational, the refinery will have a capacity of 30,000 barrels per day, equivalent to about 1.5 million tonnes per year, with total investment estimated at $622 million.
Energy Capital Power reports that the development will also include a fuel storage terminal with capacity ranging between 250,000 and 300,000 cubic meters. The terminal will store diesel, gasoline, Jet A1, kerosene, and heavy fuel oil.
Construction is being overseen by a consortium comprising RCG Turnkey Solutions, Global Process Systems, and China’s Norinco International. BGFI Cameroon is responsible for arranging approximately $215 million in project financing.
Once operational, the Kribi refinery is projected to generate about $250 million annually from marine fuel and petrochemical exports, save up to $680 million per year in fuel import costs, create more than 7,000 jobs, and support skills development among the local workforce.
Cameroon currently relies heavily on imported refined petroleum products following the shutdown of the Sonara refinery in Limbe in 2019.
Diesel and gasoline supplies are mainly sourced from Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, France, and, at times, suppliers in the Middle East and Asia.
By increasing local refining capacity, the Kribi refinery is expected to reduce Cameroon’s exposure to global fuel price volatility and lower the risk of supply disruptions.
