SONARA

Société Nationale de Raffinage

Former names : National Refining Company, SONARA, Sonara

SONARA operates Cameroon’s sole oil refinery, at Limbe. Refining has been halted since a fire on 31 May 2019 destroyed key units; in 2026 the State launched an international consultation to find a private partner to rehabilitate the plant.

Sector
Energy
Ownership
State-owned
Supervising ministry
Ministry of Water Resources and Energy
Founded
1973
Head office
Limbe
Established media or researchInvestir au CamerounPublished 4 Sept 2026Verified 4 Sept 2026

Key facts

  • An international "market sounding" for the refinery's rehabilitation was launched on 29-30 June 2026 at the Hilton Yaoundé (source: camer.be, read 2026-09-04).
  • The rehabilitation project targets a capacity of at least 3.5 million tonnes a year, with a stated ambition of 7 million tonnes (source: investir-au-cameroun, read 2026-09-04).
  • The board of directors fixed the rehabilitation plan's budget at 291.9 billion FCFA (source: investir-au-cameroun, read 2026-09-04).