Dangote moves to Namibia for regional pipeline project

What the report says

Namibia has launched a major petroleum storage and regional pipeline project in Walvis Bay, on the country’s west coast, with an estimated cost of $2.5 billion, according to The Independent Uganda’s report drawing on Xinhua. The project is intended to improve Namibia’s fuel security and support supply to neighboring countries affected by disruptions in global oil markets and shipping routes.

At the launch, President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said the investment would expand storage capacity and reinforce Namibia’s role as a regional distribution point, given the strategic position of the Port of Walvis Bay and its transport links. The president also said Namibians should be prioritized for jobs created by the project, followed by other Africans.

The initiative is linked to Dangote Group, led by Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote, who said the planned tank farm would store 600 million liters of fuel, including diesel and petrol. The broader plan includes a pipeline network of about 1,700 kilometers designed to connect Walvis Bay with inland markets in southern Africa.

If completed, the project could serve Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi and parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The report also notes that Namibia is deepening trade and investment ties with Nigeria, building on historical solidarity from the liberation era.