The first phase of the 60,000-barrel-per-day (bpd) Cabinda refinery in Angola will be commissioned in September 2025, as the government moves quickly to bridge its significant refining gap and reduce reliance on fuel imports.
This was announced by Angolan President João Lourenço at a recent event in Benguela, according to findings by Energy in Africa.
The Cabinda refinery will be the country’s second operational refining facility after the 65,000 bpd Luanda plant.
The initial phase will have a capacity of 30,000 bpd, with a similar capacity planned for the second phase, bringing total output to 60,000 bpd.
The first phase will focus on producing naphtha, jet fuel, diesel, and heavy fuel oil. Of this, naphtha and heavy fuel oil will be designated for export.
Once fully completed, the plant’s capacity is expected to meet 10% of Angola’s domestic demand for refined products.
Angola’s ambitious refining goals
Angola’s national oil company, Sonangol, aims to achieve a total national refining capacity of 445,000 bpd by 2026.
The completion of Cabinda Phase 1 by the end of 2025 will contribute 22% toward this target.
Currently, Angola imports about 80% of its refined petroleum needs.
To address this, the government is investing in new refineries and upgrading existing ones, hoping equally to become a net exporter in the near future.
The Cabinda plant, developed by investment company Gemcorp, has been under construction for several months.
Financial close was reached in 2023, with backing from institutions including:
- Africa Finance Corporation (AFC)
- Afreximbank
- Fund for Export Development in Africa.
Of the $473 million estimated cost for Phase 1, the AFC contributed $335 million, while the remaining $138 million came from other equity sponsors.
In addition to Cabinda, two other refineries are in the pipeline.
This includes the 200,000 bpd Lobito refinery, which is currently under construction, and the 150,000 bpd Soyo plant. Soyo has yet to reach financial close.
Furthermore, Sonangol is partnering with Eni and Honeywell to develop a bio-refinery in Angola, scheduled to begin operations by the end of 2026.
