Dangote and Ruto vow to deal with naysayers
LAMU, Kenya, September 30, 2026 — President William Ruto and Nigerian industrialist Aliko Dangote have officially broken ground for the construction of the Sh2.2 trillion Dangote East Africa Petroleum Refinery in Lamu County, marking the start of one of Kenya’s largest private-sector industrial investments.
The $16 billion facility, which is expected to have a processing capacity of up to 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day, is being developed near Lamu Port along the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) Corridor.
The groundbreaking ceremony brought together several African leaders, senior Kenyan government officials and business representatives, underlining the regional significance of the investment. Uganda President Yoweri Museveni, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Togo President Jean-Lucien Savi de Tové, Benin President Romuald Wadagni and former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo were among the African leaders who attended.
President Ruto described the refinery as an important step in Kenya’s industrialisation and energy-security agenda, linking the project to the wider development potential of Lamu Port and the LAPSSET corridor.
He said the investment would help create economic activity around the port and strengthen Kenya’s position as a regional energy and logistics hub.
Ruto also challenged Dangote to deliver the refinery within the 40-month timeline announced during the ceremony.
Dangote had called on the leaders attending the groundbreaking to return to Lamu in 40 months for the commissioning of the completed facility, citing the experience of his 700,000-barrel-per-day refinery in Nigeria.
Responding to the timeline, Ruto said Kenyans would closely monitor the progress of the project and hold the investor to the commitment.
The President further linked the refinery to the need for infrastructure projects to generate actual economic activity, arguing that transport corridors and ports must be supported by industries and businesses.
The project is expected to supply refined petroleum products including petrol, diesel and jet fuel to Kenya and other markets in East Africa, potentially reducing the region’s dependence on imported refined products.
Dangote said the refinery represents a long-term investment in Africa’s capacity to process its own natural resources and develop industries around energy production.
The businessman also announced plans to establish an engineering training school in Lamu to equip local young people with skills that can be applied within the refinery and associated industries.
According to government information, more than 110 pieces of construction equipment were already at the site, with another 400 expected to arrive as construction gathers pace.
The refinery is projected to create employment both during construction and when operations begin. Dangote said the project would generate opportunities beyond the refinery itself, including in transport, accommodation, food supply, engineering, logistics, marine services, manufacturing and other small and medium-sized enterprises.
For Lamu, the project is expected to add another major economic activity around the port and reinforce the county’s emerging role in Kenya’s energy and maritime infrastructure.
The government has also linked the refinery to broader plans to strengthen the LAPSSET corridor, which is intended to connect the Kenyan coast with inland areas and neighbouring countries.
The facility is expected to prioritise crude from the East African region, including Kenya’s oil resources, while additional supplies could be sourced from other producing regions depending on requirements.
The investment comes amid broader efforts by African countries to increase local processing of raw materials and reduce dependence on imported finished products.
The groundbreaking therefore places Lamu at the centre of a major regional energy project, with the refinery expected to serve markets beyond Kenya once completed.
Construction is expected to take about 40 months, setting the stage for a major expansion of industrial activity around Lamu Port and the wider coastal region.
However, the project continues to attract attention over land and environmental concerns, with conservationists and some affected landowners challenging aspects of its development through legal processes.
The groundbreaking nonetheless marks the formal commencement of construction, with Ruto and Dangote leading the symbolic ceremony that signalled the transition of the project from plans to implementation.
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