Angola’s 30,000-barrel-per-day Cabinda oil refinery, the country’s first to be built since independence, will start producing fuel before the end of 2025, according to Oil and Gas Minister Diamantino Azevedo.
Speaking at an inauguration ceremony attended by President João Lourenço on Monday, September 1, Azevedo said the refinery had entered its “decisive phase” and would soon deliver its first commercial fuel products.
The $500 million project, led by London-based investment firm Gemcorp with Angola’s state-owned Sonangol as a minority shareholder, is expected to reduce the country’s dependence on expensive fuel imports as the government phases out costly subsidies that have sparked public protests.
Currently, Angola imports about 72% of its refined fuel, equivalent to 3.3 million metric tonnes annually. Once operational, the first phase of the Cabinda refinery is expected to supply 5–10% of domestic fuel needs. A planned second phase will double processing capacity to 60,000 barrels per day and add a hydrocracking unit to produce diesel and jet fuel. The refinery marks a major step in Angola’s efforts to strengthen its energy security and capture more value from its position as Sub-Saharan Africa’s second-largest crude oil producer.