Congo to Launch First Ethanol Distillery in June 2025

The Republic of the Congo will launch its first ethanol distillery in June 2025, according to Antoine Thomas Nicéphore Fylla-Saint Eudes, Minister of Industrial Development and Private Sector Promotion. The facility is being built by Saris Congo, a subsidiary of the French group Somdiaa, in Nkayi, Bouenza Department.

Construction began in 2023 and is progressing as planned. The distillery, with an estimated cost of 15 billion CFA francs, will produce 96% of the ethanol required for the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and energy sectors. The plant will use 25,000 tons of molasses, a sugar refining by-product, as its primary input.

With a daily capacity of 50 m³, or over 6 million liters per year, the plant is expected to fully meet national demand, currently estimated at 5.5 million liters. The development is part of Saris Congo’s broader strategy to expand sugar production to 80,000 tons by 2028. The company also plans to diversify agricultural activities, including maize and soybean cultivation, to support national food security.