Aliko Dangote, founder and chairman of the Dangote Group, has launched Namibia’s Walvis Bay’s $2.5 billion (€2.23 billion) fuel storage and regional pipeline project. The launch ceremony was attended by Namibian president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah.
The project will include storage capacity of around 600 million litres, with 360 million litres dedicated to diesel and 240 million litres for petrol, and feature a 1,700km pipeline connecting Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zamia and potentially the Democratic Republic of Congo. Construction is expected to be completed within 18-20 months.
Dangote already operates Africa’s biggest refinery in Nigeria, and has plans for a 700,000 barrels-per-day refinery in Kenya. On the Walvis Bay project, Dangote says: ‘For Namibia it is expected to moderate logistical vulnerabilities, high shipping costs and severe energy insecurity while promoting infrastructure warehousing.’
