SIR aims to boost output, align with regional clean fuel goals

The West African Development Bank (BOAD) has approved 60 billion CFA francs (about $105.6 million) in financing for Ivorian Refining Company (SIR), to build a new diesel hydrodesulfurization (HDS) complex, the regional development bank said.

The 545-billion-CFA-franc project aims to reduce sulfur levels in locally refined diesel fuel to meet a 2020 ECOWAS directive that limits sulfur content to below 10 parts per million (ppm), down from current levels exceeding 2,000 ppm.

The new facility, to be built at the Vridi refinery site in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, will allow SIR to produce diesel that meets the AFRI 6 standard, equivalent to European specifications. Once operational, it is expected to cut sulfur dioxide (SO₂) emissions by 75% and improve air quality across the region.

The HDS complex will feature a distillate hydrotreating unit (DHT), a hydrogen production unit (HPU), and a sulfur recovery unit (SRU). The technology, known as Unionfining, will be supplied by Honeywell UOP LLC, a U.S.-based refining technology company.

Ivorian Prime Minister Robert Beugré Mambé broke ground on the project on Oct. 2, 2025, with commissioning planned for 2029.

BOAD said the financing falls under its "Djoliba 2021-2025" strategy, which promotes sustainable development and the energy transition across UEMOA member states. The project "will help SIR boost competitiveness while supporting environmental protection and public health," the Lomé-based bank added.

Founded in 1962, SIR is the largest refinery in Francophone Africa, processing more than 4.3 million metric tons of crude oil each year and exporting part of its production to neighboring countries.