Zim fuel facility piques regional interest . . . as President commissions US$7.3m plant

President Mnangagwa addresses guests at the commissioning of National Oil Infrastructure Company of Zimbabwe’s ethanol storage and handling facility in Mabvuku yesterday. — Pictures: Innocent Makawa.

Wallace Ruzvidzo-Herald Reporter

PRESIDENT Mnangagwa yesterday commissioned a US$7,3 million National Oil Company of Zimbabwe (NOIC) ethanol storage and handling facility, that will help save foreign currency, create employment and provide wealth generation opportunities in the biofuel value chain. The facility, which has piqued the interest of neighbouring South Africa and Botswana, is testimony to the Second Republic inward-looking policy that has seen home-grown solutions responding to the country’s needs. In the energy sector, this is vital as there is a need to match demand, which has surged in the past five years, with supply. Thus the facility that the President commissioned in Harare, is a major boost to Zimbabwe’s infrastructure development drive and will increase ethanol handling capacity by over 100 percent. With the plant complete, Zimbabwe’s national storage and handling capacity which previously stood at 5,2 million litres, is now at 11,2 million litres. Speaking at the commissioning ceremony in Harare yesterday, President Mnangagwa revealed that because of the country’s infrastructure development particularly in the energy sector, South Africa and Botswana had expressed eagerness for Zimbabwe to facilitate their fuel supply. “In fact, I must mention that the other day when I was with President Ramaphosa and President Masisi of Botswana, they were eager that we facilitate the supply of fuel to Botswana through our infrastructure and extend it to Botswana. “President Ramaphosa feels that if we extend this to Botswana, he would want another pipeline to branch from Gweru to supply northern South Africa,” he said. ReadMore