Chad’s National Petroleum Storage Company (STDP) is looking to draw on Cameroon’s experience as it prepares to expand its domestic fuel storage infrastructure, officials said.
On February 24, a senior STDP delegation visited the headquarters of the SCDP in Cameroon to explore a “sustainable strategic partnership” aimed at enhancing Chad’s capacity to store and manage petroleum products safely.
The visit focused on operational standards, safety systems, and best practices in fuel depot management. SCDP, a state-owned company established in 1979, has operated 13 depots across seven regions and manages a total storage capacity of 242,000 cubic meters for liquid petroleum products and nearly 4,000 metric tons of liquefied petroleum gas.
“We are proud to contribute to this scaling-up by sharing our expertise,” SCDP said. Its director general, Véronique Moampea Mbio, added that the company’s technical know-how would be “beneficial to STDP” as Chad brings its first depots online in Djamalaye, about 30 kilometers from N’Djamena.
The initiative highlights the growing role of regional collaboration among public petroleum operators. As nations seek to strengthen energy security, adequate storage capacity and adherence to high safety standards are increasingly seen as essential to national energy sovereignty.
For Chad, which is preparing to commission its first fuel storage facilities, learning from SCDP’s decades of experience could accelerate operational readiness and ensure efficient management of supply chains. Officials said the partnership may also serve as a model for future regional cooperation in the petroleum sector.
SCDP’s experience underscores the importance of a national network in guaranteeing uninterrupted access to petroleum products and supporting broader economic development. Its decades-long operations provide practical insight into depot design, maintenance, safety compliance, and logistics management — all areas of interest to STDP as it ramps up domestic capacity.
Observers say the cross-border collaboration reflects a broader trend in Africa, where public-sector partnerships are increasingly leveraged to strengthen critical energy infrastructure and mitigate supply chain risks in volatile markets.
With the planned expansion, Chad aims to reduce vulnerability to fuel shortages, improve distribution efficiency, and reinforce national energy resilience while benefiting from technical guidance from a well-established regional operator.
Chad has historically relied on imports for most of its petroleum needs, with limited domestic storage capacity. The lack of sufficient fuel depots has made the country vulnerable to supply disruptions, price volatility, and logistical challenges, particularly in the capital, N’Djamena, and surrounding regions. Expanding storage infrastructure is seen as critical to ensuring energy security, stabilizing domestic fuel markets, and supporting economic development.
The National Petroleum Storage Company (STDP), established in 2018, is leading the effort to develop a network of modern fuel depots, beginning with facilities in Djamalaye, approximately 30 kilometers from the capital. These depots are expected to improve distribution efficiency, maintain strategic reserves, and enhance Chad’s resilience to external shocks in fuel supply.
Cameroon’s SCDP, created in 1979, is the country’s state-owned petroleum storage and distribution operator. It manages 13 depots across seven regions and has decades of experience in depot operations, safety standards, and supply chain management. SCDP has developed capacity to store both liquid petroleum products—gasoline, diesel, kerosene—and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), serving as a model for regional collaboration in the energy sector.
Cross-border cooperation in petroleum storage is increasingly viewed as a strategic tool in Africa, helping countries enhance operational expertise, standardize safety practices, and ensure consistent energy availability. Such partnerships also support regional integration by sharing technical knowledge and strengthening the collective resilience of supply chains in the face of fluctuating global energy markets.
Chad’s engagement with Cameroon reflects this trend, combining domestic infrastructure development with regional technical support to bolster energy security and operational efficiency.
