- Dangote plans an undersea pipeline linking his Nigerian refinery to petroleum markets in Togo and Ghana, with construction expected in 2028.
- The proposal forms part of a wider $50 billion investment plan covering refineries, pipelines, storage and distribution infrastructure across Africa.
- Kenya is reviving plans for an 892-kilometre crude oil pipeline from Turkana to Lamu, where Dangote plans a 700,000-barrel-per-day refinery.
Aliko Dangote plans to build an undersea pipeline to transport refined petroleum products from Nigeria to Ghana and Togo.
The proposed pipeline will link the 650,000-barrel-per-day Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Lekki to markets along the West African coast.
According to Billionaires Africa, the route will begin at the refinery in Ibeju-Lekki. It will pass through Apapa before extending offshore near Seme, along the Benin border.
The pipeline will then reach Lomé in Togo and eventually Takoradi or Tema in Ghana.
Its proposed route broadly follows the West African Gas Pipeline. That pipeline transports Nigerian natural gas to Benin, Togo and Ghana.
Construction is expected to begin in 2028. However, the project’s length, capacity and estimated cost remain undisclosed.
The pipeline could expand the refinery’s access to regional markets. It could also challenge Lomé’s position as a major petroleum products trading and storage hub.
Fuel marketers in Nigeria and other West African countries currently source supplies from the Togolese hub.
Dangote Advances East African Pipeline Projects
Dangote Group is also pursuing petroleum infrastructure projects in East Africa.
Kenya is reviving plans for a crude oil pipeline linking the Turkana oil fields to Lamu. The coastal city is the proposed location for Dangote’s planned 700,000-barrel-per-day refinery.
A senior economic adviser to Kenyan President William Ruto confirmed the government’s intention to revive the project. Financing concerns had previously stalled its development.
Ruto said in September that Kenya was discussing the pipeline with Dangote. At the refinery’s groundbreaking ceremony on September 30, he said both sides had agreed to invest in the infrastructure.
The pipeline was first proposed about a decade ago. Tullow Oil and its partners were then developing oil discoveries in Turkana.
The 892-kilometre project was designed to transport between 80,000 and 120,000 barrels of crude daily. It would connect the South Lokichar basin to Lamu.
Its estimated construction cost stood at $1.1 billion in 2018. However, the project stalled as Tullow struggled to develop the oil fields and begin production.
Kenyan oil company Gulf Energy acquired Tullow’s Kenyan assets last year for at least $120 million. The company plans to begin production on December 1, 2026.
The initial phase targets about 20,000 barrels per day. Trucks will transport the crude to Mombasa until the pipeline becomes available.
Dangote Targets a Continental Petroleum Network
The proposed West African pipeline and Kenya’s crude transportation project form part of Dangote Group’s wider expansion plans.
The group plans to invest about $50 billion between 2026 and 2030. Its proposed investments cover refining, pipelines, storage and distribution.
In September, Dangote agreed to fund a $660 million fuel pipeline from Djibouti to Ethiopia. The group also acquired a 24.76% stake in Kenya Pipeline in October.
Another proposal involves a 2,650-kilometre refined petroleum pipeline across Namibia, Botswana and South Africa. The project carries an estimated cost of $3.5 billion.
Meanwhile, Dangote’s proposed Lamu refinery carries an estimated cost of $16 billion. He is targeting completion within 40 months.
Dangote has also offered East African governments a combined 30% stake in the refinery project.