By: TPA News Desk | editor@thepointafricanews.com

Zambia’s government has finalized a landmark agreement to build a $1.1 billion crude oil refinery and energy complex in Ndola, located in the Copperbelt Province. The proposed facility is projected to process approximately 60,000 barrels of crude oil per day, which could fulfill domestic fuel demand and facilitate exports to neighbouring countries, government officials stated on Monday.

Currently, Zambia relies heavily on imports for fuel, using the aging Indeni Petroleum Refinery in Ndola—commissioned in 1973—which can process only around 24,000 barrels per day, far below national needs.

While the specific partners in the new project have not been publicly disclosed, the refinery is expected to integrate with broader regional infrastructure developments—such as the proposed Lobito–Lusaka pipeline, which will transport refined petroleum from Angola’s new Lobito refinery directly to Zambia. The Lobito facility is set to process 200,000 barrels daily, of which 26% equity is already held by Zambia, enabling direct fuel supply through the pipeline once operational.

The government says the Ndola complex will not only secure local fuel supply but also stimulate the local economy through job creation during both construction and operation phases, enhance fiscal balance by reducing foreign exchange spending on imports, and strengthen regional market integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area.