Regional leaders hail Dangote refinery as a game changer

President William Ruto leads African leaders at the groundbreaking of the Dangote refinery in Lamu on September 30, 2026

Regional leaders on Wednesday welcomed the launch of the $16 billion (Sh2.2 trillion) Dangote East Africa Petroleum Refinery in Lamu.

They described the project as a major boost to regional energy security, trade and industrialisation.

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Togolese President Jean-Luc Savi de Tové, Benin’s Romuald Wadagni and former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo were among high-profile leaders who attended the groundbreaking ceremony.

The refinery, which will have the capacity to process 700,000 barrels of crude oil a day, is expected to supply petroleum products to Kenya and other markets across East and Central Africa.

President Museveni welcomed the investment, linking it to Africa’s urgent need to process its own natural resources rather than exporting raw materials and importing finished products.

“I am very happy to be alive to see the betrayal of Africa, which has been going on for the last 70 years, coming to an end. Africa has been betrayed by leaders who refuse to study to know what it requires to develop a country,” Museveni said.

The Ugandan leader reiterated his long-standing argument that African nations must build industries around their natural resources to generate employment and reduce import dependency.

He criticised the trend of African countries exporting raw commodities only to import finished products, losing millions of dollars in the process. He said the refinery would also create substantial job opportunities for youth.

Museveni further emphasised the necessity of political integration for the success of such commercial investments and job creation efforts.

“Take, for instance, the idea of East Africans buying shares in the project. It means that while the project is sited here, they can still earn a profit,” he said.

The Lamu facility is expected to process crude oil drawn from regional producers, including Uganda and South Sudan, and supply refined products to neighbouring countries.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed also praised the project, which is situated along the Lamu Port–South Sudan–Ethiopia Transport (Lapsset) Corridor.

Abiy observed that because much of the fuel driving the region’s economy has historically been refined abroad, regional economies have remained exposed to global market shocks.

“The Lamu refinery offers a way to alter that balance. Once complete, it will bring refined fuel closer to African markets and add significant capacity to this part of the continent,” he said.

Abiy said the benefits would extend beyond fuel supply, as ancillary economic activities would develop around the refinery.

“For Ethiopia, an additional regional source will diversify our supply options and unlock new opportunities for trade and investment,” he said.

The facility is expected to supply refined fuel to Ethiopia and other landlocked countries once operational.

The Ethiopian Prime Minister’s attendance underscored Addis Ababa’s strategic interest in the project, given its reliance on imported petroleum products.

President Savi de Tové commended the groundbreaking, describing it as living proof of Pan-Africanism. He said the refinery would transform Kenya’s energy sector by guaranteeing supply security and stabilising prices.

The facility will produce petrol, diesel, and aviation fuel for regional markets.

Dangote Group chairman Aliko Dangote said the Lamu refinery would assist African nations in reducing their reliance on foreign refined petroleum.

“For too long, our continent has been rich in resources but poor in value creation and addition. We have exported crude oil and imported refined products,” he said during the ceremony.

 Dangote emphasised that the project demonstrates what African capital can accomplish within the continent.

“Africa must industrialise Africa,” he stated.

The Nigerian industrialist revealed that more than 110 heavy equipment items have arrived at the site, with an additional 400 pieces expected within 60 days. He estimated that construction would take about 40 months.

President William Ruto said the project will solidify Kenya’s position as a regional energy and manufacturing hub.

The President has championed the refinery as part of his administration’s strategy to attract large-scale private capital, expand manufacturing and promote local value addition.

Estimated to cost approximately Sh2.2 trillion ($16 billion), the project is expected to generate thousands of jobs during its construction and operational phases.

The launch ceremony attracted official delegations from across the continent, including Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan and Tanzania. Regional governments have also been offered a combined 30 per cent equity stake in the venture.

Once operational, the refinery is designed to shield the region from international market volatility and shipping overheads by establishing a local source of refined petroleum.

The facility will be integrated into the broader Lamu Port and Lapsset infrastructure network, designed to link Kenya’s northern coast to Ethiopia and South Sudan.