Kenya: Construction of the Dangote mega-refinery launched in Lamu
Construction of the Dangote Group's mega-refinery was officially launched on September 30, 2026, at the port of Lamu, Kenya. The ceremony brought together several heads of state and government, including Kenyan President William Ruto, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni. According to RFI, this private investment aims for a processing capacity of 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day by 2030.
During the inauguration, Aliko Dangote emphasized the importance of the continent's industrialization and the local processing of resources. The project plans for the creation of 60,000 direct and indirect jobs. To support this activity, a 1,000-megawatt power plant as well as water desalination and recycling units will be built, making this site a major logistics hub for East Africa.
President William Ruto hailed the project as a structural boost for the Kenyan economy, capable of reducing dependence on fuel imports for Kenya and its neighbors. Crude oil supply will rely on the deep-water port of Lamu, which was commissioned in 2021. The Dangote Group also plans to tap into Ugandan and Tanzanian oil fields to supply this infrastructure, which could boost the LAPSSET multimodal corridor.
However, the project is sparking local tensions. Residents of Lamu County have filed a legal challenge, fearing for their land in the face of the scale of the work. While the local governor and Aliko Dangote have publicly dismissed these objections, the issue of land and social impact remains a major point of concern for neighboring communities, as construction begins under high institutional surveillance.
Our perspective
This project illustrates the African ambition to transform its own resources to build real economic sovereignty. However, successful industrialization cannot be conceived without respect for the rights of local populations. The dignity of citizens and land justice are the essential pillars of a pan-African development that benefits everyone, and not just investors.
This article was written in French with the help of artificial intelligence from the sources cited below, then translated from French automatically. Read the original.
