AMECO AFRICA
Addis Ababa – Aliko Dangote, Africa’s wealthiest industrialist, has framed a landmark petroleum pipeline connecting Djibouti to Ethiopia as a vital step towards ending the continent’s reliance on imported finished goods and vulnerable supply chains.
Speaking at the project’s groundbreaking ceremony, as reported by the Ethiopian News Agency (ENA), the president and chief executive of the Dangote Group outlined plans for the 120-kilometre multi-product pipeline and 400m-litre storage network linking Damerjog in Djibouti with Dewele in eastern Ethiopia. The initiative forms part of the conglomerate’s Vision 2030 programme, backed by $50bn (£39bn) in planned investments designed to bolster African energy self-reliance and industrial integration.
The infrastructure project aims to modernize the transfer of refined petroleum products between Djibouti’s coastal import facilities and Ethiopia’s inland markets, significantly easing pressure on heavily congested road transport corridors.
‘It will connect the marine and coastal storage facilities at Damerjog to the inland storage and distribution facilities at Dewele,’ Dangote said. ‘A modern multi-product pipeline will receive, store, transport, and distribute refined petroleum products in a very safe, efficient, and reliable manner.’
Dangote explained that the initial phase will focus on transporting critical fuels, including jet fuel, diesel, and premium motor spirit. ‘This will further strengthen supply, improve inventory management, and boost strategic reserve stock while reducing pressure on existing transport systems,’ he noted.
Beyond infrastructure capacity, the project is expected to generate immediate economic benefits for local communities along the corridor. Construction will create civil engineering and supply-chain jobs, transfer technical skills to the local workforce, and establish permanent administrative and operations roles once active.
Dangote framed the enterprise as part of a larger movement towards economic self-determination across the continent.
‘This is Africa building the infrastructure it needs,’ he said. ‘It will help African economies trade more with one another and allow us to process more of what we produce while retaining value within the continent.’
He added that African business leaders must spearhead the continent’s development agenda. ‘As Africa’s leading industrial conglomerate, our investments across the continent are driven by a firm belief that Africans must take the lead in developing Africa,’ Dangote said. ‘We must understand the terrain, the challenges, the culture, and the opportunities. Manufacturing and infrastructure must remain central to this transformation.’
The project reinforces the Dangote Group’s expanding footprint in Ethiopia and marks a major milestone in cross-border energy planning in the Horn of Africa.
