9 June 2026

Egypt Set for Africa’s First Sustainable Aviation Fuel Production Facility

Why this article matters
Egypt’s planned sustainable aviation fuel facility is expected to become the first SAF production plant in Egypt and across Africa. With a planned capacity of 200,000 tonnes per annum and production targeted to begin by the end of 2027, the project gives Egypt a defined role in renewable aviation fuel production for Mediterranean and African markets.

For the aviation sector, the importance lies in production capacity, feedstock sourcing and fuel conversion efficiency. The facility will use lipid-based feedstocks, including locally sourced used cooking oil, together with Axens’ Vegan® HEFA technology. The collaboration between Axens and Green Sky Capital has also resulted in SAF yield improvements, which are expected to increase output per tonne of feedstock processed and support the project’s overall economics.

Egypt is set to host what is expected to become the first sustainable aviation fuel production facility in Africa, following a collaboration between Axens and Green Sky Capital.

The planned facility will have production capacity of 200,000 tonnes per annum and will produce sustainable aviation fuel from lipid-based feedstocks using Axens’ Vegan® HEFA technology. The project is being developed on a fast-track basis, with production targeted to begin by the end of 2027.

The facility will support Egypt’s energy transition ambitions through the local sourcing of used cooking oil and contribute to the decarbonisation of the aviation sector. It is also intended to position Egypt as a strategic renewable fuels hub for Mediterranean and African markets.

Axens will provide its proprietary Vegan® HEFA technology, integrated catalyst and adsorbent solutions, together with operational support and training services to support plant performance and operational reliability.

Alongside the project, Axens and Green Sky Capital have entered into a broader strategic Memorandum of Understanding focused on further enhancement and optimisation. The collaboration has already resulted in sustainable aviation fuel yield improvements without compromising utility consumption or by-product performance.

These improvements are expected to increase sustainable aviation fuel output per tonne of feedstock processed, supporting improved conversion efficiency and overall project economics for Green Sky Capital’s platform when compared with conventional sustainable aviation fuel plants.

The project is positioned as a first-of-its-kind development in Egypt and a significant milestone for Axens, Green Sky Capital and their partners. The strategic collaboration also extends beyond a conventional technology licensing arrangement, with joint optimisation work under the Memorandum of Understanding expected to support higher sustainable aviation fuel production per tonne of feedstock.

Axens provides technologies and solutions for the conversion of oil and biomass into cleaner fuels, the production and purification of major petrochemical intermediates, chemical recycling of plastics, natural gas treatment and conversion, and carbon capture. Its offering includes technologies, equipment, furnaces, modular units, catalysts, adsorbents and related services.