(Business in Cameroon) - Cameroonian government organized a press conference on the night of June 2 to 3 to appease a worried population following fire that burned down part of facilities of oil refinery Sonara on May 31. The government reassures that the incident will not affect the supply of oil across the country nor the current price of fuel pump.

According to the trade minister, Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana, regardless of what happened, the government will continue to subsidize fuel pump price in order to keep consumer prices unchanged. This, despite fluctuations on the international market, from which Cameroon gets crude oil for Sonara.  

The minister of water and energy, Gaston Eloundou Essomba, recalled the fire mainly affected the company’s refining units burning down 13 of them, leading to activity suspension. He said, current assessment suggests it will take 10 months to rehabilitate the refining chain. Market supply will now rely on import and first tankers are expected next week.

In 2018, Sonara faced an 8-month shutdown; the time needed to connect new equipment to the old refinery and this had no impact on fuel pump prices or on the supply of refined oil products to the market.

BRM