23/07/2026
GOVERNMENT COMPLETES CONSTRUCTION OF MULTI-BILLION KWACHA NEW LUSAKA FUEL DEPOT.
The Government has completed construction of the multi-billion kwacha New Lusaka Fuel Depot. Zambia’s largest fuel storage facility.
The New Lusaka Fuel Depot is a major milestone toward strengthening national petroleum security and ensuring a reliable fuel supply.
The facility will be managed by TAZAMA Pipelines Limited through its subsidiary, TAZAMA Petroleum Products Limited (TPPL), further expanding TAZAMA’s role in Zambia’s downstream petroleum sector.
Speaking after a media tour of the facility, Ministry of Energy Permanent Secretary , Prof. Ephraim Munshifwa, said the depot represents a flagship investment in strategic petroleum infrastructure.
“This depot will enhance fuel security and improve the resilience of Zambia’s petroleum supply chain,” Prof. Munshifwa said. “With TPPL taking on operations, we are leveraging TAZAMA’s expertise to ensure efficient management and distribution.”
The new facility has a total storage capacity of 102,000 cubic metres
, broken down as:
- 60,000 cubic metres of diesel
- 40,000 cubic metres of petrol
- 2,000 cubic metres of kerosene
According to Prof. Munshifwa, this significantly increases the country’s strategic fuel reserves.
He disclosed that all construction works have been completed and the project is now at the contract close-out stage.
The depot is expected to be commissioned within the next few months following final financial reconciliation and hot commissioning.
Prof. Munshifwa said the New Lusaka Depot complements the operational Chipata Fuel Depot and is part of broader reforms in the petroleum sector.
These include the liberalisation of fuel procurement, the transformation of the TAZAMA Pipelines Limited to transport finished petroleum products, and the introduction of the Open Access Framework.
“The objective of these reforms is to improve efficiency, promote competition, and strengthen fuel security,” he explained.
The Permanent Secretary noted that the reforms have yielded tangible results.
He said Government’s petroleum procurement debt has dropped from over US$900 million in 2022 to about US$210 million as of July 2026
He added that the measures have also enabled Zambia to maintain some of the most competitive fuel prices in the region despite ongoing global market volatility.
The completion of the New Lusaka Fuel Depot, under the management of TAZAMA through TPPL, is expected to further cushion the country against supply disruptions and support economic transformation through reliable energy infrastructure.
