The Dangote Group has proposed the construction of a petroleum products storage terminal in Cameroon as part of efforts to expand the regional distribution network of its 650,000 barrels per day Lekki refinery.
The proposal was presented to Cameroon’s Prime Minister, Joseph Dion Ngute, on Tuesday by the Group’s Vice President for Oil, Gas and Fertiliser, Devakumar Edwin.
According to a report by Business in Cameroon, the proposed facility would help strengthen Cameroon’s strategic petroleum reserves, improve fuel supply security and potentially include a pipeline network for transporting refined petroleum products.
The pipeline infrastructure could reduce logistics costs and minimise the environmental impact associated with transporting fuel by road.
However, the proposal remains at the discussion stage, with no agreement announced following the meeting. The Dangote Group has not yet disclosed the proposed location of the terminal, its storage capacity, investment value or implementation timeline.
It is also unclear whether the facility would be wholly owned by the Dangote Group, developed in partnership with the Cameroonian government or executed under a public private partnership arrangement.
If realised, the project would provide a major export outlet for refined petroleum products from the Dangote Refinery in Lekki, Lagos, which was established to meet domestic demand while serving markets across Africa.
The proposed terminal could also enable the company to supply landlocked Central African countries such as Chad and the Central African Republic, which rely heavily on Cameroonian ports for fuel imports.
By positioning petroleum products closer to end users, the facility could help reduce delivery times, lower distribution costs and improve fuel supply efficiency across the region.
For Cameroon, the proposed investment could strengthen fuel security and diversify sources of petroleum products, subject to the project’s alignment with the country’s pricing framework, taxation policies and strategic reserve requirements.
The proposal comes as Cameroon intensifies efforts to expand its petroleum storage infrastructure, particularly through major projects in the port city of Kribi.
The country’s National Petroleum Storage Company is currently developing a petroleum terminal with a planned capacity of 230,000 cubic metres for refined products, including petrol, diesel and kerosene, alongside facilities capable of storing 40,000 metric tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas.
The project is expected to nearly double Cameroon’s existing liquid fuel storage capacity of about 245,500 cubic metres.
A second terminal is also being developed by CSTAR Tank Farm Project Management, a consortium owned by Ariana Energy, Tradex and Cameroon’s National Hydrocarbons Corporation. The project is expected to provide between 250,000 and 300,000 cubic metres of storage for diesel, petrol, aviation fuel, kerosene and heavy fuel oil at an estimated cost of CFA168 billion.
Together, the two projects are projected to add at least 480,000 cubic metres of liquid fuel storage capacity to Cameroon’s downstream petroleum sector.
The proposed Dangote facility could complement the government’s ongoing investments or compete with existing projects for access to port infrastructure, financing, pipeline networks and petroleum product volumes.
If approved, the project would mark the Dangote Group’s entry into Cameroon’s downstream petroleum sector, expanding its existing presence in the country through its cement manufacturing operations in Douala.
The proposal is the latest indication of the group’s ambition to establish a broader regional fuel distribution network anchored on its Lekki refinery, which has continued to expand exports to African and international markets.
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