Kenya Partners With Dangote to Build East Africa’s Largest Oil Refinery

GOOBJOOG NEWS|NAIROBI: Kenya’s President William Ruto has announced that plans to build what is expected to become East Africa’s largest oil refinery will move ahead following discussions with Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote, with the project expected to create about 60,000 jobs for young Kenyans.

Speaking on Friday during the launch of the second phase of the government’s Nyota youth empowerment programme, Ruto said he had reached an agreement with Dangote to proceed with the refinery, which will be built in the coastal county of Lamu.

The president said the facility would serve not only Kenya but also regional markets including Ethiopia, South Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo, positioning Kenya as a major energy hub while reducing East and Central Africa’s reliance on imported refined petroleum products.

According to Ruto, the refinery will generate around 60,000 jobs, primarily for Kenyan youth, while boosting the country’s industrial and energy infrastructure.

The announcement marks a significant shift in the project’s location. Earlier this year, Dangote had proposed constructing the regional refinery in Tanzania’s port city of Tanga, citing its strategic position and links to the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP). However, after months of speculation over whether the investment would go to Tanzania or Kenya, Dangote Industries confirmed this week that Lamu had been selected following assessments of infrastructure, logistics and market access.

The planned refinery, with a proposed processing capacity of 700,000 barrels per day, would be Dangote Group’s largest refining investment outside Nigeria and is expected to take about three years to complete. It builds on the success of the company’s flagship refinery near Lagos, currently Africa’s largest, as Dangote expands its footprint across the continent.