The 372 billion CFA francs CSTAR refinery, an industrial facility with a production capacity of 30,000 barrels per day, designed to refine Cameroonian crude oil and produce a full range of finished products, has secured 120 billion CFA francs in financing from BGFIBank, while remaining funding will be provided by Ariana Energy (49%), Tradex S.A. (31%), and the National Hydrocarbons Corporation (SNH) (20%).
The refinery is estimated at 372 billion CFA francs, equivalent to 659 million dollars. The oil storage terminal, known as the Tank Farm, will require 168 billion CFA francs, equivalent to 298 million dollars. Total investment amounts to 540 billion CFA francs (about $957.2 million)
CSTAR Refinery Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) studies are expected to be completed in June 2026, while the refinery construction component assembly and Equipment delivery are planned for September 2026, with production expected to begin around Dec. 25, 2026. On commissioning, the refinery’s initial production capacity is expected to reach 10,000 barrels per day, and it is expected to increase to its maximum template of 30,000 barrels per day from 2027,
CSTAR says this initial output of 10,000 barrels per day could cover about 22% of Cameroon’s diesel and gasoline demand as early as 2026. This would significantly accelerate the original timeline, which had scheduled commissioning for June 2028.
The petroleum storage depot, estimated at 168 billion CFA francs, will be financed entirely from SNH’s own resources, the company said. The terminal will have a storage capacity of 250,000 to 300,000 cubic meters for products including gasoil, gasoline, Jet A1, kerosene and heavy fuel oil (HFO). With costs finalized and financing secured, the project now enters the execution phase. This stage will determine whether the infrastructure, considered strategic for Cameroon’s energy independence, can be delivered on schedule.
