LAGOS, Oct 30 – Cameroon’s state-owned oil refiner, Société Nationale de Raffinage (Sonara), has signed an agreement with Nigeria’s Dangote Group and Lagos-based MRS Oil & Gas Company to supply refined petroleum products to the Central African country.
The agreement, signed on October 22 in Lagos, is intended to provide Cameroon with a stable and sustainable supply of petroleum products as fuel costs rise amid conflict in the Middle East, according to Reuters.
The arrangement comes as Cameroon remains entirely dependent on imported refined petroleum products following the shutdown of its only refinery in 2019.
Sonara’s refinery was damaged by an explosion that year, disrupting domestic refining operations and leaving the country reliant on external suppliers to meet its fuel requirements.
The partnership with Dangote Group and MRS Oil & Gas is expected to establish a supply arrangement involving two Nigerian companies with operations in the petroleum value chain. However, the companies have not disclosed the agreement’s supply volumes, pricing structure or duration.
Sonara said a ceremony planned to formally launch the partnership had been postponed because of last-minute scheduling constraints involving Dangote Group President Aliko Dangote. A new date will be announced later.
The agreement comes as African countries continue to navigate exposure to international fuel markets, where geopolitical tensions and disruptions to supply routes can affect the cost and availability of refined petroleum products.
For Cameroon, securing more predictable supplies is particularly significant given its dependence on imported fuel since 2019. The partnership could strengthen its access to Nigerian refining and distribution capacity, although the commercial terms and operational details of the arrangement remain undisclosed.
