Namibia is positioning itself as a regional fuel distribution hub through a $2.5 billion energy infrastructure investment by Dangote Industries Limited, featuring a 600-million-litre petroleum storage facility and a 1,700-kilometre pipeline network linking markets across Southern Africa.
Namibia’s President, Dr. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, described the Dangote Namibia Tank Farm and Regional Pipeline Project as a landmark investment expected to strengthen regional energy security, reduce fuel transportation costs and accelerate industrialisation across the continent.
Speaking at the project’s official launch in Walvis Bay, Nandi-Ndaitwah said the investment would support Namibia’s development priorities, create employment opportunities and promote economic integration in line with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
She described the launch as the most memorable day of her presidency, praising Dangote Industries President and Chief Executive, Aliko Dangote, for investing in Africa’s economic potential.
Dangote said the facility, located near Walvis Bay, would comprise storage capacity for 360 million litres of diesel and 240 million litres of petrol.
The proposed pipeline network will connect Namibia to Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi and parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo, providing landlocked countries with improved access to petroleum products.
“We want to invest heavily so that landlocked countries can access petroleum products at cheaper prices,” Dangote said.
He disclosed that the Group had increased its Africa-wide investment ambition towards 2030 from $50 billion to $60 billion, signalling plans for further expansion across the continent.
Dangote said the $2.5 billion project represented the beginning of a broader investment relationship with Namibia, adding that the Group was interested in expanding its activities in the country.
“Africa must industrialise Africa,” he said, stressing the need for African-led investment to drive sustainable industrial development.
The Governor of Namibia’s Erongo Region, Dr. Nathalia ǀGoagoses, welcomed the project, describing it as a strategic investment that would strengthen the country’s position as a gateway for trade, investment and regional economic integration.
Dangote reaffirmed the Group’s commitment to Namibia and Southern Africa, saying its investments would focus on infrastructure development, job creation and economic growth across the continent.