Angola is on track to meet almost half of its domestic fuel demand through local refining by 2027, according to Sonangol.
Joaquim Kiteculo, head of Sonangol’s refining subsidiary Sonaref, said output from the Lobito and Luanda refineries would cover about 45–46 per cent of national petroleum product demand once the new capacity comes on stream.
Sonangol operates the 65,000 barrels-per-day (bpd) Luanda refinery, which currently runs at around 55,000 bpd. The company is also developing the 200,000 bpd Lobito refinery, which will initially process just over 54,000 bpd when it starts operations.
Together, both refineries will sharply reduce Angola’s dependence on imported fuel.
Lobito Refinery Set to Produce Euro-5 Fuels
The Lobito refinery will process medium and light Angolan crude grades. It is designed to produce Euro-5 diesel with 10 parts per million sulphur, Kiteculo said.
Once output stabilises, the refinery could generate surplus volumes for export. Potential destination markets include Zambia, South Africa, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Angola’s total petroleum product demand stands at about 280,000 bpd. The country still relies heavily on imports to bridge the supply gap. However, Kiteculo said expanded local refining could make a large share of these imports unnecessary.
Imports Remain High but May Decline
Data from Kpler show that Angola imported around 68,000 bpd of petroleum products by cargo in 2025.
Diesel and gasoil made up the largest share at 44,000 bpd, while gasoline imports averaged 21,000 bpd.
About 13,000 bpd of gasoline came from Phillips 66’s 221,000 bpd Humber refinery in eastern England. Gasoline shipments from the Immingham terminal to West Africa rose to a record 30,000 bpd in 2025.
By contrast, shipments from Immingham to the Americas fell to 8,000 bpd, down by 2,000 bpd year on year.
Angola did not import any diesel or gasoil from the European Union, the UK, or Norway last year. Instead, supplies came mainly from South Korea and India, according to Kpler.
Construction on Track for 2027 Start-Up
Sonangol plans to complete construction of critical and priority units at the Lobito refinery in the first half of 2027, Kiteculo said.
He did not give a precise start date for production. However, he previously indicated that operations could begin between October and December 2027.
Once operational, the Lobito refinery is expected to reshape Angola’s downstream sector and significantly cut fuel imports.