The third Russia–Africa Summit, taking place in Moscow on October 28–29, offers an opportunity for Russia and the Republic of the Congo to review progress on major bilateral energy projects, including a planned petroleum products pipeline. The project’s implementation and its targeted launch at the end of 2029 could feature among the issues discussed as the two countries review their economic cooperation. No new decision on the pipeline at the summit has been confirmed.
The pipeline is designed to transport petroleum products from the Atlantic port of Pointe-Noire toward the capital, Brazzaville. The intergovernmental agreement governing its construction and operation was signed on September 28, 2024, and entered into force on June 26, 2025, following ratification by Russia.
Under the agreement, Russia’s Zakneftegazstroy-Prometey and the National Petroleum Company of the Congo (SNPC) are to establish a joint venture. The Russian side will hold a 90% stake, while the Congolese side will own 10%.
The project is structured around a build-own-operate-transfer concession. The joint venture is expected to construct and operate the pipeline under a concession lasting at least 25 years, after which the infrastructure is to be transferred to the Congolese side under the agreement’s terms. A guaranteed transportation tariff is intended to support the project’s financial viability.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on April 30, 2026, that design work was expected to begin that year and that the pipeline was scheduled to enter operation by the end of 2029. The publicly available information reviewed for this article does not independently confirm that design work has begun.
The pipeline is part of broader Russian-Congolese economic cooperation. On September 30, 2026, the two countries signed a cooperation plan for 2026–2028 covering energy and other sectors. Russian officials have identified potential areas of energy cooperation including hydropower development, solar power projects and petroleum product supplies to the Congo.
Before the Moscow summit, Russia’s ambassador to the Republic of the Congo said that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Congolese President Denis Sassou-Nguesso could discuss priority bilateral projects and implementation of the cooperation plan. Whether the pipeline’s schedule or implementation arrangements will be addressed at their meeting remains unconfirmed.
