Zambia has signed a landmark agreement to develop a $1.1 billion crude oil refinery and energy complex in Ndola, located in the country’s copperbelt region, the government announced on Monday.
The new facility is expected to process up to 60,000 barrels of crude oil per day, enough to meet the entire domestic fuel demand and enable future exports to neighbouring countries.
According to a government statement, the project could save Zambia millions of dollars annually by reducing its reliance on fuel imports.
Construction is scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2025, with the first phase of commercial operations targeted for 2026.
The agreement was signed between Zambia’s state-owned Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) and China’s Fujian Xiang Xin Corporation. An IDC spokesperson said that crude oil will be sourced from the Middle East and imported via Tanzania’s Dar es Salaam port.
Beyond fuel refining, the planned energy complex will include infrastructure for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) bottling, bitumen production, lubricant blending, and a 130-megawatt power plant, boosting Zambia’s broader energy and industrial capacity.
Source: Africabusinessinsider