Africa richest man, Aliko Dangote, plan to spend more than $3.5 billion on petroleum-products pipeline network wey go connect Namibia, Botswana and South Africa. The proposed network go cover about 2,650 kilometres, start for Namibia before e pass through Botswana enter South Africa.
Anoda section dey planned through Zimbabwe and Zambia reach Democratic Republic of Congo. Dangote disclose the more-than-$3.5 billion budget for interview with Bloomberg, according to Bloomberg report.
Namibia Mining & Energy disclose the expanded pipeline route on September 17, citing wetin Dangote talk during formal opening of Dangote Petroleum Refinery initial public offering. Dangote say the network go begin for Namibia, cross Botswana enter South Africa. A second line go extend northwards through Zimbabwe and Zambia before e reach DRC.
Dangote disclose the plan in interview with Bloomberg TV anchor Francine Lacqua following launch of public share offering for group energy business. The pipeline go form part of broader 4,000-kilometre cross-border network designed to transport refined petroleum products to landlocked markets across Sub-Saharan Africa.
According to him, transportation and logistics costs remain major burden for consumers in landlocked countries, with petrol prices in Zimbabwe reaching nearly $6 per gallon due partly to cost of transporting products by road and delays at border crossings.
Dangote talk say sometime in October dem also dey launch pipeline. Dangote no talk whether construction go start for October or whether company go formally unveil project and begin preliminary development work. The group never disclose network carrying capacity, exact alignment, construction contractor or expected completion date.
Dangote later tell Bloomberg say him company planned pipelines across Africa fit eventually cover distance wey pass that one. He talk say by the time dem finish, he sure say dem go end up with almost 4,000 kilometres of pipelines. The wider figure include other proposed projects, especially pipeline between Djibouti and Ethiopia. Dangote talk say work on East African project and associated tank farms also expected to begin shortly.
Group also dey plan pipeline infrastructure for East Africa, including route wey link Djibouti to Ethiopia and another wey connect Lamu in Kenya to inland markets for Horn of Africa. Construction of Djibouti-Ethiopia pipeline and associated fuel storage facilities expected to begin within two months, Dangote talk.
Southern African network expected to start around Walvis Bay, wey dey position Namibia main commercial port as possible storage and distribution hub for Dangote petroleum products. In July 2025, Reuters report say Dangote plan to construct storage tanks in Namibia wey go hold at least 1.6 million barrels of petrol and diesel.
Two sources tell Reuters say the tanks go supply Namibia, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe, while southern DRC also dey considered. A Namibia Ports Authority official confirm the plans and talk say tanks go dey within Walvis Bay harbour. Also, Dangote Industries Namibia don start environmental approval process covering about 70 hectares of industrial land on Farm 58, around 10 kilometres east of Walvis Bay.
The proposed 678,912-square-metre site go subdivide into several Dangote portions in preparation for strategic petroleum storage facility, according to records on Namibia official environmental assessment portal. Documents wey dey available no establish whether Farm 58 development replace, expand or separate from 1.6-million-barrel harbour storage project wey dem report in 2025. Dem also no explain how either storage development go connect to proposed cross-border pipeline.
Proposed network fit change how petroleum products move across Southern Africa, especially for landlocked Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and DRC. Botswana currently rely heavily on fuel wey dem transport from South Africa but don dey seek alternative sources and routes through Namibia and Mozambique. State-owned Botswana Oil talk say diversifying supply through three neighbouring countries go reduce risks wey dey follow depending on single route. Its strategy na to supply western Botswana through Namibia, northern areas through Mozambique and southern market through South Africa. Pipeline wey originate around Walvis Bay fit enter that strategy while e give Dangote direct access to Botswana fuel market.
E fit also provide new source of imported fuel for South Africa, wey don become more dependent on overseas supplies after closure or reduced operation of several domestic refineries. South Africa consume about 27 billion litres of petroleum products every year and dey consider rules wey go require government and private companies to keep larger emergency reserves. The network therefore go connect Dangote to landlocked market wey dey seek alternative supply routes and much larger economy wey increasingly depend on imported refined products.
Pipeline plan form part of Dangote wider attempt to expand beyond Nigeria and build continental refining and distribution business. Dangote Petroleum Refinery currently process as much as 700,000 barrels of crude per day. E plan to invest $14.3 billion to double capacity to 1.4 million barrels per day by first quarter of 2029. That expansion go place Lagos facility among world largest crude refineries.
Refinery also dey raise as much as $1.6 billion through initial public offering in Nigeria, with proceeds earmarked for capacity expansion, according to Bloomberg. The offer open on September 14 and scheduled to close on October 13. Dangote talk say company fit pursue New York Stock Exchange listing after e complete expansion.
Doubling production go leave refinery with substantially more petrol, diesel, jet fuel and other petroleum products to sell. Namibian storage facilities and Southern African pipeline network fit provide physical infrastructure wey needed to reach those markets. Refinery don already expand beyond West Africa. During second quarter of 2026, e export about 80,000 barrels of jet fuel per day and emerge as important supplier to Europe during disruptions to Middle Eastern exports.
The planned infrastructure expansion come as group prepare to deploy between $46 billion and $50 billion across industrial operations, with investments focused on refining and pipeline transportation. Dangote talk say strategy aim to reduce dependence on long-distance imports of refined petroleum products by expanding refining capacity and distribution infrastructure inside Africa. Group dey finance energy expansion through combination of public offerings and private placements. Its latest share offering target 10 million individual African investors, following private placement wey attract $3.7 billion in demand. Refining business expected to list primarily on Nigerian Exchange, with planned dual listing in New York by 2030.
The $3.5 billion plan still face major hurdles. Despite di size of Dangote announcement, pipeline network remain proposed rather than under construction. Project wey cross several countries go require extensive engineering studies, land agreements, environmental assessments and regulatory approvals from every government involved.
Dangote never disclose whether company don secure full $3.5 billion, reach final investment decision or obtain necessary cross-border approvals. No agreements with governments of Namibia, Botswana or South Africa were announced alongside the cost estimate. Environmental process under way at Farm 58 relate to proposed Namibian storage facility. Dem no suppose interpret am as approval for entire 2,650-kilometre pipeline network.
