{"id":60142691,"date":"2026-07-16T15:30:49","date_gmt":"2026-07-16T14:30:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/?p=60142691"},"modified":"2026-07-16T15:31:00","modified_gmt":"2026-07-16T14:31:00","slug":"refine-baby-refine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/energy\/refine-baby-refine\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Refine baby, refine\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>\u201cDrill baby, drill,\u201d said NJ Ayuk, executive chairman of the African Energy Chamber in April. He was <a href=\"https:\/\/energychamber.org\/african-energy-chamber-africa-must-refine-baby-refine-as-global-supply-disruptions-expose-need-for-downstream-expansion\/\">speaking<\/a> in Cape Town at the African Refiners &amp; Distributors Association Week, where he also said \u201cRefine baby, refine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The conflict in the Gulf is inspiring new debate on energy transitions and energy dependency across Africa. Within a few months of the disruption in the global energy market, economic uncertainty triggered <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ft.com\/content\/273aee17-25ee-4608-9be2-88433e28270e?syn-25a6b1a6=1\">unrest<\/a> in several African countries, including violent protests in Kenya and strikes in Mozambique.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now an unexpected crisis is turning into a new normal. Recent days have seen renewed US strikes on Iran, strikes by Iran on oil-producing neighbours and LNG vessels, and new threats to impose shipping tolls in the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Energy importers are particularly vulnerable. Kenya, for example, which is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.petroleum.go.ke\/petroleum-information\">100%<\/a> reliant on imports for petroleum products, saw the price of diesel increase nearly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/sustainability\/boards-policy-regulation\/kenya-raises-retail-prices-fuel-due-iran-conflict-2026-05-14\/\">25%<\/a> in April and then again in May.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Eight out of the twelve countries worldwide whose fossil-fuel imports cost more than 10% of their gross domestic product (GDP) are in Africa, finds a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.powershiftafrica.org\/publications\/pipe-dreams-how-oil-and-gas-fail-to-deliver-economic-development-for-africa-254\">recent report<\/a> from Power Shift Africa, an NGO. But the situation is not limited to energy importers. Low refining capacity on the continent has meant that African oil producers export most of their oil in crude form and are therefore more vulnerable to price rises \u2013 hence Ayuk\u2019s call to \u201crefine\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As the crisis exposes fault lines in the continent\u2019s energy landscape, there is a growing confidence in some countries that local oil and gas production and refining is necessary to end dependency on imports from high-risk sources. This is also taking place, however, in the context of an accelerating renewable-energy roll-out across the continent, marked by <a href=\"https:\/\/ourworldindata.org\/grapher\/levelized-cost-of-energy\">record low costs<\/a> for new renewables.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-doubling-down-on-oil-and-gas\">Doubling down on oil and gas<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>East African countries, which are some of the hardest hit by the war\u2019s impact on oil markets, are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/business\/energy\/east-african-nations-discussing-regional-refinery-project-kenya-president-says-2026-04-23\/\">discussing<\/a> setting up a joint oil refinery in Tanga, Tanzania. The port city will form the end point and export hub for the <a href=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/justice\/if-ugandas-courts-will-not-apply-the-law-englands-high-court-must\/\">controversial<\/a> East African Crude Oil Pipeline from Uganda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ghana also has plans for a \u201cPetroleum Hub\u201d to refine up to <a href=\"https:\/\/phdc.gov.gh\/petroleum-hub-project-we-are-making-steady-progress-dr-toni-aubynn-assures\/\">900,000 barrels per day<\/a>. Geopolitical developments have strengthened opinions regarding the project\u2019s \u201cstrategic importance\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<a class=\"wp-block-cd-related-news alignright block--related-news loading\" data-post-id=\"111196\"><div class=\"block--related-news__image\"><\/div><div class=\"block--related-news__content\"><span class=\"block--related-news__heading\">Recommended<\/span><span class=\"block--related-news__title\"><\/span><\/div><\/a>\n\n\n\n<p>While these projects have been in the works for a number of years, the current crisis has prompted politicians and industry leaders to emphasise their importance and urgency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In Nigeria, Africa\u2019s largest oil producer, increasing local production and refining is a priority of the government, oil and gas expert Dayo Adeshina told Dialogue Earth. Adeshina was a special adviser to former Nigerian Vice President Yemi Osibanjo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The situation has revealed a need to diversify, says Fikayo Akeredolu, a senior research associate in Climate Policy and Justice at the University of Bristol. \u201cAfrican countries are asking what else they can do investment-wise to buffer themselves from geopolitical uncertainty,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The war in the Gulf has also increased interest in African oil and gas in the global market. Demand is coming from Asia, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/reel\/video\/p0nm7jsx\/watch\">said<\/a> Wale Tinubu, group chief executive of Nigerian oil and gas company Oando, in May 2026. India, for example, has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/business\/energy\/india-turns-latin-american-african-oil-after-hormuz-disruption-2026-05-25\/\">increased imports<\/a> from Nigeria, Angola and Latin American sources. African sources have also become more <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/business\/energy\/chinas-hengli-seeks-west-african-middle-eastern-oil-after-sanctions-sources-say-2026-06-11\/\">attractive<\/a> for some consumers like Chinese companies seeking to buy from non-sanctioned sources as opposed to Iran. Additionally, there has been increased inter-African trade in oil, says Adeshina, particularly to countries like South Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-article-image aligncenter block--article-image block--article-image--article\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--article-image__column\"><div class=\"hide-expand block--article-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Oil-stored-at-Luanda-port-in-Angola_Joerg-Boethling_Alamy_D0400N.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Oil-stored-at-Luanda-port-in-Angola_Joerg-Boethling_Alamy_D0400N-768x504.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Oil-stored-at-Luanda-port-in-Angola_Joerg-Boethling_Alamy_D0400N-1024x672.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Oil-stored-at-Luanda-port-in-Angola_Joerg-Boethling_Alamy_D0400N.jpg 2560w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 1024px) 1024px, 2560px\" alt=\"Industrial port area with oil storage tanks and cargo ships\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--article-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--article-image__caption\">Oil in storage at Angola&#8217;s Luanda port (Image: Joerg Boethling \/ Alamy)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Oil-stored-at-Luanda-port-in-Angola_Joerg-Boethling_Alamy_D0400N.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2 MB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1681\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>In response, crude oil output in some African countries has increased, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.iea.org\/reports\/oil-market-report-may-2026\">reports<\/a> the International Energy Agency. Although it notes that these increases are marginal compared to the loss of Gulf oil in the global market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some governments are reaping the financial rewards. This is the case for Angola, Africa\u2019s second largest oil exporter, says Flavio Inocencio, a lecturer at Angola\u2019s Agostinho Neto University. He highlights the country\u2019s dependence on oil exports, which <a href=\"https:\/\/media.afreximbank.com\/afrexim\/Angola-Country-Brief-2025.pdf\">contribute<\/a> in excess of 60% of the state budget and 30% of total GDP. Most of Angola\u2019s exports go to Asian markets like China, India, Japan and South Korea, all of which have historically been highly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/business\/energy\/asias-oil-lng-dependence-middle-east-2026-03-02\/\">dependent<\/a> on Middle Eastern sources. Many of those countries are now <a href=\"https:\/\/asia.nikkei.com\/politics\/international-relations\/japan-seeks-more-involvement-in-angola-oil-minerals-during-africa-tour\">looking to Africa<\/a> to diversify their imports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-oil-and-gas-risks\">Oil and gas risks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhile higher oil prices can provide short-term fiscal benefits for some African producers, they also increase energy and transport costs for many African consumers and import-dependent economies,\u201d Akeredolu told Dialogue Earth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The current energy crisis has exposed economic vulnerabilities in oil and gas dependence. Yet several countries are still moving forward with multi-billion-dollar gas-to-power projects. These include <a href=\"https:\/\/resourcegovernance.org\/articles\/how-nigerian-government-can-right-size-its-gas-ambitions-economic-development\">Nigeria<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.offshore-energy.biz\/7-5-billion-gas-project-on-senegals-development-agenda\/\">Senegal<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rfi.fr\/en\/africa\/20260612-resumption-of-20bn-totalenergies-cabo-delgado-mozambique-gas-development-project-brings-hope-resentment\">Mozambique<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/business\/energy\/tanzania-expects-sign-42-billion-mega-lng-project-before-june-minister-says-2026-01-26\/\">Tanzania<\/a>, the latter three being <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newproducersgroup.org\/\">new producers<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<a class=\"wp-block-cd-related-news alignright block--related-news loading\" data-post-id=\"60014356\"><div class=\"block--related-news__image\"><\/div><div class=\"block--related-news__content\"><span class=\"block--related-news__heading\">Recommended<\/span><span class=\"block--related-news__title\"><\/span><\/div><\/a>\n\n\n\n<p>Several <a href=\"https:\/\/www.iea.org\/data-and-statistics\/data-tools\/reliance-on-middle-east-oil-and-gas-supplies-by-country\">African countries<\/a>, including Mozambique and Tanzania, are dependent on gas imports from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/business\/energy\/iran-attack-damage-wipes-out-17-qatars-lng-capacity-three-five-years-qatarenergy-2026-03-19\/\">Qatar<\/a>, whose LNG infrastructure was attacked and partially damaged in March. While no recorded government statements link these countries\u2019 continued commitment to their LNG projects to the attacks, the crisis can make a case for domestic production, especially in countries with low energy-access rates. \u201cMost African countries have an energy access problem,\u201d says Akeredolu. Giving the example of Nigeria, she highlights that \u201cthe immediate challenge is providing reliable and affordable energy to millions of people who currently lack access.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another side of the gas conversation is exports. All four countries are located to bypass disruptions that have made exports from the Gulf highly risky. This is attractive to markets such as ones in Asia and Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An analysis by the Centre for Energy, Finance and Development <a href=\"https:\/\/cefd.eco\/en\/energy-resilience-in-africa\/\">cautions<\/a> against betting on overly ambitious and risky projects, especially export-oriented projects, as the accelerating clean-energy transition may reduce demand in target markets. This risks creating \u201cstranded assets\u201d in African oil and gas sectors, the report authors warn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The current rush for oil and gas in the continent predates the war in the Gulf. But demand in major markets might be inspiring a push to capture presumed economic benefits before the energy transition completely changes the global energy landscape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-africa-s-oil-and-gas-debate\">Africa\u2019s oil and gas debate<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Africa has contributed little to manmade climate change, accounting for about <a href=\"https:\/\/ourworldindata.org\/grapher\/cumulative-co2-emissions-region\">3%<\/a> of historical emissions as of 2024. This has made the idea of fossil-fuel phase-outs controversial. The current energy crisis has added to this by strengthening pro-fossil-fuel narratives. There is also an expectation that these projects will contribute to development through employment and public revenues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, evidence from decades of fossil fuels in the continent does not always support this assumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Power Shift Africa\u2019s report argues that instead of development, fossil fuels have \u201ccontributed to economic vulnerability, inequality, and structural constraints on growth\u201d in the 13 African countries examined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The authors note that in Africa\u2019s two largest oil producers, Nigeria and Angola, 40% of the population still live in extreme poverty on less than USD 3 per day. They also argue that fossil-fuel production is directly linked to high levels of corruption and environmental harm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Inocencio from Angola\u2019s Agostinho Neto University says that the trends identified in the report are symptoms of \u201cextractivism\u201d, that is, exploiting natural resources for export.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To Mohamed Adow, director of Power Shift Africa and one of the report\u2019s authors, there is \u201ca danger in Africa becoming locked into another generation of extractive relationships that export wealth while leaving people behind\u201d. He adds that fossil fuels keep African countries tied to global instability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In contrast, he says, renewables offer a path to energy independence. This may already be beginning to take off. Data from 2025 <a href=\"https:\/\/ember-energy.org\/latest-insights\/the-first-evidence-of-a-take-off-in-solar-in-africa\/\">shows<\/a> that the continent imported 15 GW of solar panels from China.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The African Union (AU) sees the issue differently, however. Through the African Energy Commission, the AU <a href=\"https:\/\/au-afrec.org\/oil-gas-programme\">aims<\/a> to expand refining and oil products markets across Africa, and positions gas as a means to \u201cadvance long-term welfare in relation to \u2026 addressing the global threat of climate change and energy transition.\u201d Adeshina echoes this position, labelling gas a \u201ctransition fuel\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The oil and gas crisis triggered by the war on Iran has exposed once again Africa\u2019s vulnerability to global energy shocks. At the same time, the global scramble to identify new sources of oil and gas and the persistently high oil prices have strengthened some of the arguments made for African producer countries to double down on fossil fuels. At stake is the future direction of African development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAfrica has a right to sustainable development,\u201d says Adow. \u201c[But] not a right to repeat the dirty development pathways that created the climate crisis.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Africa\u2019s fossil fuel proponents are using the global oil and gas crisis to their advantage, reigniting debates about the continent\u2019s energy future<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":50000998,"featured_media":60142694,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[757],"tags":[17073,547,50029971],"hashtags":[],"country":[50041560,50040738,50040759,50040721,50041221,50041235,50040722],"class_list":["post-60142691","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-energy","tag-energy-transition","tag-fossil-fuels","tag-oil","country-angola","country-ghana","country-kenya","country-mozambique","country-nigeria","country-senegal","country-tanzania"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v26.0) - 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Armed militants in Nigeria vowed Sunday to cut daily oil exports from this West African nation's troubled delta region by another 1 million barrels by the end of March, as OPEC nations prepared for a strategy meeting in Vienna this week. A wave of militant assaults on pipelines and oil facilities has already cut production by 455,000 barrels per day in Nigeria, which normally exports 2.5 million barrels of crude daily. 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