Kribi Oil Refinery : Multifaceted Facility Awaited

The construction of a refinery and petroleum depot kicked off in the seaside town of Kribi yesterday July 17, 2025 with the laying of foundation stone. Located near the Kribi deep-sea port, the project, christened "Kribi Tank Farm," is fruit of a partnership between the National Hydrocarbons Corporation (SNH), Tradex, Ariana Energy and the RCG Consortium, whose goal is to equip Cameroon with an international class storage facility, having an initial capacity of 250,000 to 300,000 cubic metres. 
While presiding over the ceremony, Nathalie Moudiki, representative of the Executive General Manager of the National Hydrocarbons Corporation (SNH), Adolphe Moudiki, underscored the importance of the facility. She highlighted that the initiative is strategic and aims to address major structural challenges in Cameroon regarding storage, energy security and petroleum logistics. The refinery will produce a range of products including bitumen, which will be used to improve road infrastructure. The depot will ensure a reliable supply of fuel for domestic consumption and export such as diesel, petrol, Jet AI, kerosene, and HFO, solidifying Cameroon's position as an energy hub in Central Africa. 
The Kribi Tank Farm is birthed from the fact that national supply system of these products, which is currently severely weakened by the closure of the SONARA refinery and the chronic saturation of SCDP facilities. Despite a daily crude oil production of about 60,000 barrels, Cameroon is entirely dependent on imports to meet a national demand estimated at 1.9 million metric tonnes per year, which is constantly growing. The current storage capacity of 275,000 cubic metres is below threshold needed to meet regulatory requirements, which impose safety sticks equivalent to 30 days of consumption and commercial stocks for 15 days, totalling 470,000 cubic metres needed. "This structural deficit exposed the country to sudden shortages, as observed in the past, where the State found itself unable ...