COMOROS · ENERGY
Key Facts
- —What is happening On Friday, 9 October, Comoros Energy Minister Aboubacar Said Anli inspected the stalled Hoani fuel depot on Moheli and said he hopes work will resume soon, as most major construction is done, the state daily Al-Watwan reported.
- —Why it matters Moheli, the smallest of the three main Comoros islands, has only 650 cubic metres of fuel storage, and national stocks need resupply roughly every 45 days with frequent disruptions, so a bigger buffer would cut the risk of shortages.
- —The numbers The depot would hold about 4,500 cubic metres of fuel, roughly 1.19 million US gallons, in tanks for diesel, petrol, kerosene and jet fuel, which state fuel company SCH says could last Moheli up to six months.
- —Who is who Aboubacar Said Anli is the Comoros minister of energy and hydrocarbons, SCH (Société Comorienne des Hydrocarbures) is the state fuel company, led on Moheli by director Afretane Yssoufa, and Al-Watwan is the national daily owned by the state.
- —What to watch The minister must first report to the government, then the tanks will be filled with water to test for leaks before a seabed survey and navigation plan; no cost or restart date is confirmed, and landowners say they are unpaid.
- —What it means for you No company listed in the US is named, so there is no direct stock market exposure, but Comoros sits at the northern entrance of the Mozambique Channel, a tanker route around southern Africa, and the project shows where its government wants to spend on energy.
The Comoros energy minister hopes work on the stalled Hoani fuel depot will resume soon. The site on Moheli would hold up to 4,500 cubic metres of fuel once finished.
Comoros is pushing to finish the stalled Hoani fuel depot, on its smallest island of Moheli. Energy and Hydrocarbons Minister Aboubacar Said Anli visited the site on Friday, 9 October, the state-owned national daily Al-Watwan reported.
The minister went to assess the work before reporting to the government, which he hopes will let the project restart. He said most major construction is done, with only minor adjustments left, according to Al-Watwan.
Inside the Hoani Fuel Depot
The depot is designed to hold about 4,500 cubic metres of fuel, Al-Watwan reported. That is roughly 1.19 million US gallons, or more than 100 standard road-tanker loads.
One large tank is for diesel, with one each for petrol, kerosene and jet fuel, plus a water tank. The state fuel company, Société Comorienne des Hydrocarbures or SCH, says that stock could last Moheli up to six months.
Why Moheli Needs the Depot
The minister said current national stocks require resupply roughly every 45 days, and supply is often disrupted. A bigger buffer would reduce the risk of shortages when deliveries are late.
SCH’s Moheli director, Afretane Yssoufa, said the island has only 650 cubic metres of fuel storage today. SCH also wants to use a mini-port at Hoani that the firm Arab Contractor built to ship rock fill, Al-Watwan reported.
What It Means for US Readers
Comoros sits at the northern entrance of the Mozambique Channel, a shipping lane used by tankers sailing around southern Africa. The depot itself is small, though, and its 500-cubic-metre jet fuel tank would mainly serve flights to Moheli.
No US-listed company is named in the project, so there is no direct stock-market exposure. For American firms, the story mainly signals where the Comoros government wants to spend on energy infrastructure.
What Is Not Known
The cost, the original start date and any completion date for the depot were not stated. The reason the work stalled is also unclear, and the account rests on a single outlet, the state-owned daily Al-Watwan.
Landowners say they have not yet been paid for land taken for the project, and that claim is not independently confirmed. The capacity and supply figures come from Al-Watwan, the minister and SCH, not from a published government document.
What Comes Next
The minister said the next step is to fill the tanks with water to check for leaks before the remaining technical work. An SCH technician said a seabed survey and a navigation plan will follow to fix where tankers can berth.
A final restart date depends on the minister’s report to the government and on resolving the water supply to the site. Until then, the project remains a plan, not a confirmed construction schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where Is the Hoani Fuel Depot?
It sits at Hoani on Moheli, the smallest of the three main islands of the Comoros. The Comoros lies in the Indian Ocean between Mozambique and Madagascar.
How Much Fuel Would the Depot Hold?
Al-Watwan reported a capacity of 4,500 cubic metres of fuel in four tanks. They cover diesel, petrol, kerosene and jet fuel, while a fifth tank holds water.
Why Does Moheli Want More Storage?
Moheli has only 650 cubic metres of fuel storage, and national stocks need resupply roughly every 45 days. A larger store could cushion the island against shortages when deliveries are delayed.
When Will Construction Restart?
No firm date has been confirmed, and the minister said he must first report to the government. The reported next step is to fill the tanks with water to test for leaks.
Sources: Al-Watwan; Al-Watwan homepage (all accessed 13 October 2026).
Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief · Editorial standards · Report an error
Part of our ongoing coverage
Africa: The New Scramble — the great-power contest over the continent.