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Downstream

Afreximbank wants to boost regional processing capacity. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

African Export-Import Bank has released a US$3bn revolving credit line to simplify the sourcing of petrol, diesel, jet fuel and other products from African refineries

Besides providing a safeguard against current geoplitical tensions and tariff uncertainties, the move will expectedly bring some relief for the African and Caribbean buyers as it takes the pressure off of nearly a US$30bn fuel import bill that the region has to bear annually. 

The bank believes that the aid might give the facility the much needed push to generate around US$10-14bn of trade finance over the initial three years. 

This comes as part of the Revolving Intra-African Oil Import Financing Programme.

Key refining hub

In a bid to boost regional processing capacity, Afreximbank has also been the largest financier of Nigeria’s 650,000-barrel-per-day Dangote refinery. It has contributed to the revamping of Nigeria's Port Harcourt oil complex as well. Also arranging funding for plants in Angola and Ivory Coast, Afreximbank's support could add around 1.3  mn  bpd of refining capacity.

"The programme will galvanise efforts towards making the Gulf of Guinea a key refining hub," Afreximbank President Benedict Oramah said in a statement on Monday.

According to Reuters, Afreximbank will also be a controlling shareholder of Atmin, a new trading house set up by former Shell oil traders to focus on African oil trading. 

Recently, Iran has expressed keenness in exporting petrochemicals to AfricaIran has expressed keenness in exporting petrochemicals to Africa with an aim to strengthen strategic partnership between the two countries given the current shifts in global power dynamics.

Iran is ready to export petrochemicals to Africa. (Image source; Adobe Stock)

The third Iran-Africa Economic Cooperation Conference was addressed by Iran’s First Vice President, Mohammadreza Aref, who expressed the country’s interests in advancing trade relations with Africa

He said that Iran is ready to export petrochemicals to Africa with an aim to strengthen strategic partnership between the two countries given the current shifts in global power dynamics.

Refering to its mineral and mining sectors as 'golden soils', Iran extended all kinds of technical support for Africa's industrial growth. 

Aref also announced the country's intent for collaboration with Africa to advance clean energy and regional electricity networks. Technological cooperation and knowledge transfer in other fields were also discussed.

Godwin Kudzo Tameklo, CEO of NPA. (Image source: African Energy Chamber)

With an aim to boost liquefied petroleum gas' (LPG) market presence to 50% by 2030, Ghana’s downstream regulator the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) is promoting private-led investment across the petroleum value chain

Strengthened policies and technology-driven strategies are already bolstering downstream productivity, but the NPA is seeking greater investment to strengthen fuel security and distribution across West Africa.

During the Invest in African Energies: Accra Investor Briefing on April 14, 2025, taking place at the Kempinski Hotel, the NPA’s CEO Godwin Kudzo Tameklo will outline strategies being implemented by the authority to strengthen the downstream value chain in Ghana. Tameklo is expected to highlight ongoing efforts to attract investment in downstream projects, while sharing an update on the country’s developments such as the Integrated Petroleum Hub, LPG expansion and broader infrastructure advancements.

As the downstream regulator, the NPA manages the importation and refining of crude in Ghana as well as the sale, marketing and distribution of refined petroleum products across the country. The NPA works to position the downstream sector as both a major contributor to domestic product growth and catalyst for long-term economic growth in Ghana. By leveraging technology and growth-centered policy, the NPA has led the growth of Ghana’s downstream industry.

In April 2024, the country witnessed a 15.4% growth in petroleum consumption, reaching 1,641 kilotons compared to 2023, as well as a 9% rise in gasoline consumption, reaching 588.5 kilotons. In 2024, LPG consumption also witnessed a surge, rising 7.25% throughout the year to reach 340 million liters. An increase in the adoption of LPG was largely attributed to the promotion of the Cylinder Recirculation Model by the NPA – a distribution system implemented in 2023 that allows residents and commercial consumers to utilize LPG through cylinder exchange. LPG adoption rose from 28.9% in 2010 to 60% in 2023, with LPG usage increasing from 18.2% in 2010 to 44.1% in 2023. Strategic LPG projects include the Puma Energy-owned LPG bottling plant in Tema – a $6 million facility with the capacity to deliver 1,200 cylinders per hour. A second plant is being developed by the Ghana Cylinder Manufacturing Company, with a capacity of 150 million cubic feet per day.

To further strengthen distribution, the NPA is leveraging innovative technology and policies that enhance efficiency and profitability across the downstream sector. These include the introduction of a new transparent automatic price adjustment formular, transitioning from an annual regulated pricing model; a zero-tolerance policy for toxic fuel and an increase in low sulphur fuels; as well as technology-based mechanisms such as the petroleum marking scheme, bilk road vehicle tracking project, electronic cargo tracking system and enterprise relational database management software. These mechanisms support efficient monitoring and ensure optimized quality and quantity of petroleum products in Ghana.

Beyond domestic petroleum distribution, Ghana is strengthening regional exports. In 2024, the NPA signed an agreement with Senegal and The Gambia to enhance petroleum product exports. Ghana already exports petroleum to regional neighboring, including Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast and Togo. According to the NPA, the volume of petroleum exports to regional countries from Ghana amounted to 385,154,100 liters. Over 5,000 service providers are registered in Ghana, delivering over four million metric tons of petroleum products annually.

 

Diesel, petrol and kerosene were delivered. (Image source: NNPC)

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Ltd has restreamed the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC), commencing crude oil processing from the plant for the delivery of petroleum products into the market

The NNPC group chief executive officer, Mele Kyari, announced the development, expressing his gratitude to all stakeholders involved, and marked the occasion as an era of energy independence and economic growth for the country.

Products delivered included premium motor spirit (PMS), automotive gas oil (AGO) and household kerosene (HHK), among others. 

The PHRC rehabilitation project, is an engineering, procurement, construction, installation and commissioning (EPCIC) project that is aimed at restoring the refinery to full functionality and renewal.

 

Claus Reimers, chief product and technology officer at Akselos. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Structural performance management (SPM) provider, Akselos, has announced the expansion of its SPM software offering for hydrotreaters in the refining and petrochemicals sector globally

With more than 3,400 hydrotreating units worldwide processing hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of product annually, refineries face mounting pressure to reduce emissions. The energy-intensive processes involved in oil extraction, processing, refining and transport contributed to 450 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions globally in 2022 alone, underscoring the urgent need for the sector to optimise operations and monitor aging infrastructure.

Early deployment results emphasize the technology's transformative impact. At a North American refinery Akselos' SPM software reduced startup and shutdown times of the plants reactor by up to 20% while maintaining strict safety standards. The improved visibility into asset health also enabled more precise maintenance planning, reducing unnecessary downtime and associated operational waste.

"The petrochemicals sector is at a crossroads. It’s still vital in today’s energy mix, but its operations are inefficient and are having a significant impact on the environment,” said Claus Reimers, chief product and technology officer at Akselos. “Akselos can’t answer all of their problems, but we are supporting refinery and petrochemicals operators globally to maximise their output, make better, more informed decisions and ultimately enable them to operate energy intensive equipment like reactors, heaters, furnaces and separators, more efficiently, for longer.”

By bringing real-time structural health monitoring directly into the control room, this technology empowers operators to increase their bottom line through optimized maintenance schedules, extended asset life while maximizing output, and minimizing both planned and unplanned downtime.

Akselos' SPM software, developed on a next-generation technology stack, compliant with all major industry standards (e.g. API 579), delivers simulation capabilities that are 1,000 times faster than legacy solutions while providing 30-50 times greater analytical detail. It has been hardened over a decade in the industry and is now a standard solution for supermajors.

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