Flagship Project | Alpha Beta Energy

The Opportunity

A Continent That Exports Crude — and Imports Fuel

Africa produces over 8 million barrels of crude oil per day, yet remains a net importer of the refined products its economies run on. The result is a structural deficit worth over $100 billion in needed investment.

8M+ BPD

Crude Produced, Yet 70%+ Refined Fuel Imported

Africa produces over 8 million barrels of crude per day yet imports the majority of its refined fuel — exporting raw value and buying it back at a premium.

4.5M BPD

Projected Refined Fuel Demand by 2050

Driven by population growth, urbanization, and industrialization, African petroleum demand is expected to grow from 1.8M to 4.5M BPD by mid-century.

~3.9M BPD

Additional Refining Capacity Needed

Africa's refining capacity has declined 21% over 14 years even as demand has surged — the equivalent of six mega-refineries worth of unmet need.

Africa needs over $40 billion in refining investment by 2030 to meet its mid-decade objectives. Infrastructure limitations — shallow ports, inadequate storage, stressed logistics — add $20–30 per tonne to the cost of every barrel of imported fuel. OPEC's 2025 World Oil Outlook projects Africa will add 1.2 million BPD of new refining capacity by 2030, one of the fastest downstream expansions in the world, yet the gap continues to widen as demand outpaces supply.

The Project

Modular Refinery & Oil Terminal

A next-generation, modular petroleum refinery and deepwater-access oil terminal situated on The Gambia's Atlantic coast — engineered to refine regional crude and distribute refined products across West Africa.

Mandinary, The Gambia

Refinery Configuration

30,000 BPD Crude Distillation Unit (CDU)
Modular, pre-fabricated construction for rapid deployment
Naphtha, Gasoil (diesel), Fuel Oil, and Kerosene output
Designed for phased expansion to 60,000+ BPD
Desulfurization and gasoline processing in Phase 2

Terminal & Infrastructure

50,000 MT supplemental tank storage capacity
Marine loading for coastal and regional distribution
Truck loading infrastructure for inland markets
Strategic coastal positioning for multi-country access
Reduces regional fuel transport overhead by shortening supply chains

Target Markets & Products

Automotive fuels (gasoline, diesel) for consumer and commercial use
Power generation fuel for industrial and grid applications
Mining sector fuel supply across the Sahel region
Marine and shipping bunkering services
Kerosene for household and aviation use

Execution Readiness

Bankable feasibility study and engineering complete
All permits, approvals, and licenses secured
Export Processing Zone license: 10-year tax holiday
World-class EPC contractors selected and engaged
24-month construction timeline to first production

Strategic Advantages

Why This Project. Why Now.

A rare convergence of structural market demand, regulatory incentives, execution readiness, and world-class partnerships.

Massive Supply Deficit

West Africa imports the bulk of its refined fuel at premium prices. Local refining delivers a structural cost advantage and captures margin currently leaving the continent.

Export Processing Zone

A 10-year tax holiday, duty-free raw material imports, and streamlined regulatory treatment under The Gambia's EPZ framework create exceptional project economics.

Secured Offtake

Commercial agreements with major global energy companies provide revenue visibility from day one of operations.

Coastal Strategic Position

The Gambia's Atlantic coast location enables efficient distribution to six West African nations by sea and road, serving markets from Senegal to Sierra Leone.

Demand Certainty

African petroleum demand is projected to grow through 2050 and beyond, driven by population growth, urbanization, and industrialization across the continent.

Modular Scalability

Pre-fabricated modular design enables phased expansion from 30,000 to 60,000+ BPD, growing capacity in lockstep with market demand.

The Journey

A Decade in the Making

Six years developing the project. Four years before that getting to know The Gambia. The groundwork behind a shovel-ready opportunity.

2016

First arrival in The Gambia

The ABE team came to The Gambia exploring public-private partnership investments aimed at improving infrastructure and living standards. The years that followed built a network of contacts across government and industry, a genuine cultural understanding of the region, and the on-the-ground experience that would anchor every decision to come.

PPP InvestmentGovernment Relations

2019

Pivot to refining and fuel storage

What began as an investigation into periodic fuel shortages in The Gambia opened up something larger: a regional refining and fuel storage gap nobody had successfully closed. The team studied failed projects across Africa — feedstock unavailability, stakeholder disputes, political instability, outdated equipment — and learned what not to repeat.

Market ResearchFailed Project Analysis

2020

COVID‑19 delays — and persistence

The pandemic disrupted travel, regulatory work, and partner engagement worldwide. The team adapted, kept advancing, and held the project together through the most difficult window of its development.

2021‑23

Houston, Nigeria, London, Geneva, Dubai, Johannesburg

Research trips to assemble the project's spine: meeting traders, engineers, consultants, and investors. These efforts yielded the modular “topping” configuration optimized for West African crude — cutting edge, but proven.

Engineering SelectionPartner Discovery

2023

The first refining permit, ever, in The Gambia

In partnership with the Ministry of Petroleum & Energy, Ministry of Lands, PURA, the Gambia Maritime Administration, and GIEPA, ABE successfully obtained the country's first oil refining permit and completed all regulatory hurdles by year-end.

Regulatory MilestoneGovernment Partnership

2024

Engineering & design studies

A year of technical work de-risked the project end to end: geotechnical surveys on the Mandinary site, process design for the modular topping configuration, the full FEED study, and the environmental, market, and financial studies that underpin the investment case.

GeotechnicalProcess DesignFEED Study

2025

Contractors selected, agreements in hand

EPC, OSBL, ISBL, marine works, O&M, and shipping — every execution role filled with proven international partners. Letters of intent from ExxonMobil, Chevron, and PetroIneous on feedstock supply and product offtake.

Contractor SelectionCommercial Agreements

Today

Shovel‑ready.

Initial land preparation works done on the Mandinary site. The project sits at the threshold of the implementation phase.

Implementation PhaseInvestor Ready

Growth Roadmap

From First Barrel to Regional Platform

A disciplined, phased approach that builds capability and expands reach with each stage — from crude distillation to a full-complex refinery serving six nations.

Active Phase

Phase 1

Target: Q3 2028

30,000 BPD Crude Distillation Unit
50,000 MT supplemental tank storage
Marine & truck loading infrastructure
Products: Naphtha, Gasoil, Fuel Oil, Kerosene
Operational cash flow within 24 months

Target Markets

The Gambia Senegal Mali

Expansion

Phase 2

Target: Q3 2030

Gasoline processing block addition
Desulfurization unit for cleaner fuels
Higher-margin refined product slate
Expanded storage and logistics capacity
Enhanced regional distribution network