Landlocked Ethiopia Starts US$660 Million Fuel Pipeline to Djibouti’s Coast
Key Facts
- The country Ethiopia, with about 135 million people, is Africa’s second most populous country and the world’s most populous landlocked one. Its economy is about US$126 billion, or under US$1,000 per person.
- Why it matters Ethiopia lost its coast when Eritrea became independent in 1993. It moves most of its trade, including fuel, through tiny Djibouti, home to 1.2 million people, mostly by truck.
- Why now Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote, known for cement and a large refinery near Lagos, is expanding in Ethiopia. His group is already building a US$4 billion fertiliser venture there.
- What happened Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Djibouti’s President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh broke ground on 24 September. The US$660 million, 120 km line will carry refined fuel from Djibouti’s coast to Dewele in Ethiopia.
- Who is involved Ethiopian Investment Holdings, Ethiopia’s sovereign wealth fund, is developing the Dangote petroleum pipeline with Nigeria’s Dangote Group. Abiy’s office targets operations within 18 months.
- What it means for you For firms and travellers in Ethiopia, fuel could reach the capital, Addis Ababa, in about a day instead of five. That could lower costs and make supply more reliable.
- Still open Financing terms and each partner’s share have not been disclosed, and the 18-month timetable is unproven.
Landlocked Ethiopia, Africa’s second most populous country, is getting a US$660 million pipeline to bring in fuel from neighbouring Djibouti’s coast. The Dangote petroleum pipeline, developed with Nigeria’s Dangote Group, will run 120 km from Damerjog to Dewele in Ethiopia.
On Thursday, Ethiopia, Djibouti and Nigeria’s Dangote Group broke ground on a US$660 million pipeline to carry refined fuel into Ethiopia. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Djibouti’s President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh hailed it as a boost to energy security and regional trade.
A cross-border fuel lifeline takes shape
The project pairs a 120 km (75-mile) multiproduct pipeline from Damerjog in Djibouti to Dewele in Ethiopia with storage at both ends. A spokesperson in Abiy’s office told Reuters it includes about 375,000 cubic metres of storage at Damerjog and 800,000 at Dewele.
The line will carry refined products, not crude oil. Dangote said the first phase will move jet fuel, diesel and petrol.
Ethiopian Investment Holdings, the country’s sovereign wealth fund, is developing the project with the Dangote Group, Abiy said. The spokesperson said it should be operating within 18 months.
At the groundbreaking in Djibouti’s Damerjog Industrial Park, both leaders framed the project as more than an energy deal. Guelleh called it “an investment in the future prosperity of our region.”
Why the Djibouti corridor matters
Landlocked Ethiopia relies on Djibouti’s ports for most of its imports, including fuel, which now moves inland by truck. Abiy said fuel takes about five days to reach Addis Ababa by truck, and the pipeline should cut that to about one.
For Djibouti, the project adds another layer of transit and storage business. It strengthens the small state’s position as the gateway for Africa’s second most populous country.
The Horn of Africa is already a crowded strategic arena. Gulf states, China and the United States compete for influence there, and transport corridors are a key prize.
Dangote’s expanding energy footprint
Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote is best known for cement and for his large oil refinery near Lagos. His group is already building a US$4 billion fertiliser venture in Ethiopia, Reuters reported.
The Dangote Group’s involvement brings private capital and operational expertise to a state-backed corridor project. It also signals confidence in long-term demand for refined petroleum products in Ethiopia.
For investors, the project is a reminder that African energy infrastructure is not only about drilling for oil and gas. Pipelines, storage and distribution are becoming equally contested spaces.
The money and power stakes
The US$660 million figure comes from Abiy’s office, and the partners have not published a cost breakdown. Capital, an Ethiopian weekly, put the Damerjog storage terminal alone at US$160 million.
The Dangote Group called the scheme privately funded, but neither partner has disclosed its share. Ethiopia gains a steadier fuel supply chain, while Djibouti gains fees, jobs and port traffic.
The project also fits the broader pattern covered by Africa: The New Scramble, where ports, pipelines and corridors drive the contest for influence.
Regional read-through
Neighbouring countries will watch closely. A smoother Ethiopia-Djibouti fuel corridor could lower costs and improve supply reliability across the eastern African hinterland.
It may also encourage other private players to look at cross-border storage and pipeline deals. The Horn of Africa has long been seen as difficult terrain for such projects, and this one will be an early test.
Success will depend on execution speed and political alignment between Addis Ababa and Djibouti City. Both governments have so far presented a united front.
What to watch next
The next test is whether the partners publish financing terms and name contractors. With an 18-month target, they will need to move quickly on land, permits and procurement.
Official figures already differ: Ethiopia’s state news agency reported Dangote citing 400 million litres of storage, well below the spokesperson’s numbers. Any delay would test the political goodwill on display at the groundbreaking.
The project’s progress will also signal how serious both governments are about turning corridor diplomacy into physical infrastructure. That matters for every business moving fuel or goods through the region.
The big picture: Djibouti explained — economy, politics, society and daily life in one read.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Dangote petroleum pipeline project in Ethiopia and Djibouti?
It is a US$660 million project to pipe refined fuels 120 km from Damerjog in Djibouti to Dewele in Ethiopia. It includes about 375,000 cubic metres of storage in Djibouti and 800,000 cubic metres in Ethiopia.
Why does Ethiopia need a fuel pipeline through Djibouti?
Ethiopia, home to about 135 million people, has had no coastline since Eritrea became independent in 1993. It brings in most of its fuel through Djibouti’s ports by truck, a trip of about five days to Addis Ababa that the pipeline should cut to about one.
Who is developing the Ethiopia-Djibouti pipeline?
Ethiopian Investment Holdings, Ethiopia’s sovereign wealth fund, and Nigeria’s Dangote Group, owned by billionaire Aliko Dangote, are developing it. Leaders of both countries broke ground on 24 September 2026 in Djibouti.
When will the Dangote pipeline become operational?
A spokesperson for Ethiopia’s prime minister said it should be operating within 18 months. That points to around early 2028 if the schedule holds.
Connected Coverage
Sources
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