Dangote Launches Pan-African Petroleum Network Initiative

Aliko Dangote, President and Chief Executive of Dangote Industries Limited, unveiled a plan to create a Pan-African petroleum distribution network aimed at enhancing energy security across the continent. This initiative involves significant investments in pipelines, storage facilities, and supply corridors.

During a conversation with Financial Times journalist David Pilling, Dangote revealed that the Group acquired a 25% stake in a petroleum products pipeline network in Kenya and is pursuing additional projects connecting Djibouti to Ethiopia. He emphasized the need for African governments to protect local industries from unfair foreign competition, arguing that reliance on imported products undermines domestic manufacturing and job retention.

The Dangote Group's expansion includes developing a distribution corridor from Djibouti to Addis Ababa, with tank farms for petroleum storage. Additional projects in Cameroon are nearing finalization, and Namibia has been identified as a strategic location for further expansion due to its proximity to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Lagos.