By Erestinah Jane | July 7, 2026
President William Ruto has announced that the Kenyan government is in discussions with the Dangote Group over the possible construction of a major oil refinery in Kenya, a project aimed at strengthening the country’s energy security and positioning it as a regional hub for refined petroleum products.
Speaking on the proposal, President Ruto said the planned partnership forms part of the government’s broader strategy to enhance domestic refining capacity, reduce dependence on imported fuel and expand Kenya’s role in the East African energy market.
“We are engaging with the Dangote Group to see how we can set up a major oil refinery in Kenya. This will not only assure us of petroleum product security but also position Kenya as a major exporter of refined petroleum products to the East African region,” the President said.
According to the proposal, the refinery would have a projected processing capacity of 650,000 barrels of crude oil per day, placing it among the largest refining facilities on the African continent. The planned capacity mirrors that of the Dangote Refinery in Lagos, Nigeria, which is regarded as one of the world’s largest single-train refineries.
Government officials say the project remains at the discussion stage, with preliminary plans exploring possible locations along Kenya’s coastal energy corridor. Among the sites under consideration are areas linked to the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia-Transport (LAPSSET) Corridor as well as the existing infrastructure around the Port of Mombasa, both of which offer strategic access to regional and international markets.
If implemented, the refinery would represent one of Kenya’s most significant investments in the energy sector. The government expects the facility to reduce the country’s dependence on imported refined petroleum products, enhance fuel supply stability and strengthen the resilience of the domestic energy market against global supply disruptions.
Beyond meeting local demand, the proposed refinery is intended to serve neighboring countries by supplying refined petroleum products to regional markets, including Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Officials believe the project could enhance regional trade while reinforcing Kenya’s position as a logistics and energy hub within East Africa.
The initiative also aligns with the government’s broader economic agenda of attracting large-scale private investment into strategic sectors, expanding industrial capacity and creating employment opportunities through infrastructure development. A project of this scale would be expected to generate thousands of jobs during both the construction and operational phases while stimulating growth in related industries such as transport, logistics and petrochemicals.
The Dangote Group, one of Africa’s largest industrial conglomerates, has established a strong presence in sectors including cement, fertilizer and petroleum refining. Any partnership with the Kenyan government would mark a significant expansion of its footprint in East Africa.
While no timeline has been announced for the project’s implementation, President Ruto’s remarks signal Kenya’s ambition to become a major player in the regional petroleum value chain. Further negotiations and feasibility assessments are expected before any final investment decision is made.
