The planned 600-million-litre fuel terminal and 1,700-kilometre pipeline network could establish Walvis Bay as a major petroleum distribution gateway for Southern Africa.
Nigerian industrialist Aliko Dangote yesterday launched a $2.5 billion fuel storage and regional pipeline project in Namibia, with Zambia among the countries expected to benefit from a new petroleum supply network linking the Atlantic coast to Southern Africa’s inland markets.
The project, officially launched on Wednesday alongside Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, will be developed on approximately 70 hectares at Farm 58, about 10 kilometres east of Walvis Bay.
The proposed terminal will hold 600 million litres of fuel, comprising 360 million litres of diesel and 240 million litres of petrol, supported by truck-loading, dispensing and distribution infrastructure.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, Dangote said the project would include a proposed 1,700-kilometre pipeline network connecting the coast to inland markets.
“The project will also include 1,700 kilometers pipeline, establishing Walvis Bay as a strategic Atlantic energy gateway and also serve as an integrated supply corridor linking the coast to the hinterland,” Dangote said.
The proposed route would extend through Namibia, with branches towards Rundu and Botswana’s Ghanzi and Francistown areas. The broader distribution network is intended to serve Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi and southern Democratic Republic of Congo.
“The final route and length will be determined through detailed engineering, route surveys and regulatory approvals,” he said.
What It Means for Zambia
The investment could provide Zambia with another major petroleum supply option, potentially strengthening access to imported fuel and creating opportunities for bulk storage, inland distribution and regional transport operators.
Dangote specifically identified Zambia as a beneficiary of improved fuel delivery and freight connectivity.
The project could also strengthen Walvis Bay’s position as a competing petroleum gateway for landlocked Southern African economies, alongside existing fuel import routes through East and Southern Africa.
For Zambia, the commercial impact will depend on the final pipeline alignment, cross-border distribution arrangements, transport tariffs and the competitiveness of fuel delivered through the new corridor.
Dangote said the investment was expected to ease regional logistics bottlenecks, reduce high shipping costs and address energy supply vulnerabilities while creating opportunities in infrastructure, warehousing and related services.
The coastal storage facility is targeted for completion within 18 to 20 months, although the implementation schedule for the wider pipeline network remains subject to further development and approvals.
The project forms part of Dangote Group’s broader expansion of petroleum production and distribution across Africa, supported by its large-scale refinery operations in Nigeria.
at completion, the Walvis Bay investment will introduce a significant new supply corridor into Southern Africa’s petroleum logistics market, with implications for regional energy security.
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