Seven years after the devastating fire at Sonara, the company’s CEO took the podium to solemnly announce to the world’s media that the refinery would rise again on Monday, June 29, 2026. According to my own investigation, one would have expected at least a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with a financial partner. But no — this declaration came after a meeting organized by four ministers to assess the reconstruction cost and its financing method, even before going to the market to find partners.
Here is my analysis:
The chosen financing model is the Design-Build-Finance-Maintain (DBFM), which covers design, construction, financing and maintenance of the infrastructure.
If seven years after the Sonara fire we have only reached this stage, how long will it take to find a partner who, through typical Cameroonian methods, will sign an agreement before turning to banks for the money? We already see this with mining partners, unlike what happens elsewhere.
The shadow of SNH and Nathalie Moudiki
Looking at the timing, this communication comes just days after the Cameroonian business community, through its president Célestin Tawamba, congratulated SNH for the new Kribi refinery under construction — a project brilliantly led by Nathalie Moudiki. The Gecam president spoke in an international media outlet.
The stakes of appointments are therefore green
In reality, what happened yesterday was a simple communication designed to bluff the President of the Republic, precisely while he is in Switzerland reassessing the actions of those he appointed to support him and serve the people.
In its communication, Sonara includes a phrase to touch Cameroonians by mentioning an hydrocracker unit that will refine Cameroonian oil. Yet this project was already underway before the fire and is already included in the Kribi refinery.
The sabotage of the Kribi refinery
“When you see whistleblowers lurking in the shadows attacking certain personalities involved in projects, think twice.
Since yesterday, Boris Bertolt has been multiplying incendiary posts against the SNH refinery project, with baseless claims aimed at tarnishing Nathalie Moudiki’s image. Why sabotage the Kribi refinery project on the very day Sonara makes its comeback? Yet at SNH, they welcome the action of this historic company, Sonara.
Speaking of Sonara’s rehabilitation, in 2020 a strong delegation from Russian giant Lukoil was received in Yaoundé to propose a reconstruction plan and installation of more modern equipment. The government gave no favorable follow-up.
Regime insiders, who favor imports through traders, cite sovereignty reasons to justify rejecting potential partners. Yet Africa’s largest oil refinery, located in the second-largest African oil producer, is private. The Dangote refinery does not belong to the Nigerian state, but it refines more than 60% of oil from the country’s wells.
Why is the SNH (gas) model not applied to Sonara (oil)?
The great Lobito refinery in Angola is built by China, the Copperbelt refinery in Zambia is built by China. Uganda’s first oil refinery is built by Russians, another is planned in Congo.
Cameroonians, let us pray to the Lord.
Albin Michel Njilo (Construire ensemble)
