Sub-Saharan Africa has only two significant petroleum refineries: the Dangote Refinery in Lagos (650,000 bbl/day capacity, operational 2024) and South Africa's remaining refineries. Most African nations import refined petroleum products, making bulk liquid terminal infrastructure at major ports a strategic national asset. The Mombasa KPRL terminal feeds the Kenya Pipeline Company system, which transports fuel inland to Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi. Lagos Apapa terminal complex is Nigeria's primary refined product import point, supplemented by the new Lagos deep-sea terminal.
Strategic Infrastructure Gaps
Landlocked countries in the Sahel and Great Lakes regions face the highest fuel logistics costs due to multiple transshipment points. Chad imports fuel via Cameroon; Niger via Benin; South Sudan via Kenya and Uganda. Any disruption to transit routes can create acute fuel shortages within days. The African Energy Commission is mapping critical bulk liquid infrastructure gaps as part of its energy security planning. Companies involved in African fuel logistics, terminal operations, or energy supply chains can find market contacts on intra-africa.com.
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