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CameroonOnline.ORG | Cameroon has launched the long-awaited reconstruction of its National Oil Refinery (SONARA) in Limbe, a facility that has been offline since a fire in 2019 crippled operations. The restart of the refinery, the only one in Cameroon, carries implications not only for the country’s economy but also for fuel security across Central Africa.
Work began in August 2025, with the project estimated at $461 million. SONARA’s board has approved a plan that combines technical rehabilitation with workforce training and financial partnerships to ensure long-term viability. The refinery is expected to resume operations at full capacity by late 2027, with the ability to process 2.1 million tons of crude oil annually.
The 2019 shutdown left Cameroon and its neighbors—including Chad, Gabon, and parts of the Central African Republic—dependent on imported petroleum products, often at higher cost. The reconstruction is therefore viewed as a strategic step toward stabilizing fuel supplies in the region, reducing reliance on foreign imports, and enhancing local economic resilience.
For international observers, SONARA’s revival highlights the broader challenges facing energy infrastructure in developing economies: vulnerability to disasters, the high cost of repairs, and the delicate balance between domestic needs and regional cooperation. If successful, the project could strengthen Cameroon’s role as an energy hub in Central Africa, while also drawing attention from global investors and partners interested in Africa’s growing energy sector.
SONARA’s recovery, after six years of inactivity, is more than a technical achievement. It reflects the strategic importance of energy independence and the growing effort by African nations to secure sustainable, locally driven solutions to long-standing supply challenges.
