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Africa Faces 86 Mn Tonne Fuel Shortfall by 2040: AFC
The Africa Finance Corporation said imports already exceed 70% of refined fuel and warned that chokepoints and conflict could deepen shortages.
On Thursday, the Africa Finance Corporation warned that Africa faces an 86 million-tonne fuel shortfall by 2040, as the continent imports over 70 percent of its refined fuel.
Conflict in the Middle East has effectively shut down the Strait of Hormuz, a critical fuel conduit accounting for one-fifth of global transport, leaving East Africa vulnerable to severe supply shocks.
Fuel import dependence is rising from 74 million tonnes in 2023 to 86 million by 2040; AFC chief economist Rita Babihuga-Nsanze noted Africa holds 80 percent of phosphate reserves yet produces only 20 percent of global stock.
Africa's richest man, Aliko Dangote, proposed building a 650,000-barrel refinery in East Africa during the AFC summit, contingent on support from Kenyan President William Ruto and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni.
Kenyan President William Ruto stressed that Africa must stop relying on external capital; Kenya announced infrastructure plans last year including 50 new hydroelectric dams and 10,000 megawatts of power generation.