Dangote Targets $17B Lamu Refinery to Power East Africa

By Lateepha Eniola, Assistant Editor

After touring the world-class facility in Lagos, Kenyan President William Ruto has described the Dangote Petroleum Refinery as a masterpiece of science, engineering, and art

Impressed by the scale of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Lagos, Ruto renewed his commitment to building the $17 billion Lamu refinery with the Dangote Group.

He visited the world-class facility after the UNGA convinced him that a similar mega-project can succeed in Kenya..

“Coming here and seeing it for myself, I can confirm that I have seen a masterpiece of science, engineering, and art. To my brother, Aliko (Dangote), congratulations.

“I always knew Nigerians to be very brave people and go-getters, but I did not anticipate that it was at this scale,” Ruto said.

The Kenyan leader announced that preparations are complete for the groundbreaking of the East African Oil Refinery in Lamu, poised to serve as a vital regional asset.

According to him, the facility will accelerate industrial growth, generate thousands of jobs, build local technical expertise, secure energy supplies, and deepen economic ties across the region..

“This is not a Kenyan refinery; it is going to be a regional refinery. We are positioning our continent as an emerging growth centre, and this project will help accelerate industrialisation, create jobs, enhance engineering capabilities, and strengthen Africa’s economic competitiveness,” he stated.

He added that his government will eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks to ensure efficient project execution.

“The Government of Kenya is 100 per cent behind this project. We have secured the required land and are working to ensure that we spend our time building rather than navigating administrative delays,” he said.

The President commended the leadership and commitment of Dangote Group President and Chief Executive, Aliko Dangote, highlighting his deep understanding of the refinery’s technical and operational processes.

“The detail with which Aliko Dangote understands this plant is remarkable. Unless you understand the details, you are unable to make the right decisions. That commitment to excellence is one of the reasons behind the success of this project,” he added.

During the visit, Dangote Group’s Chief Strategy Officer, Aliyu Suleiman, reported that the conglomerate generated about $17 billion in revenue in the first half of 2026, putting it on track to double 2025’s $18 billion total and reach a record $36 billion for the year.

“The revenues of the Group have grown significantly over the last five years. From $18 billion last year, we are on track to get to $36 billion this year. Our half-year revenue is already about $17 billion,” Suleiman said.

Sustained investments in core sectors—ranging from cement and sugar to oil, gas, and refining—fueled the strong performance, according to the Chief Strategy officer.

Suleiman noted that Dangote Group’s growth ambitions are anchored on its Vision 2030 Strategy, aimed at expanding the company’s industrial footprint across Africa and creating globally competitive businesses on the continent.

“Between 2020 and 2025, the Group executed a capital expenditure programme of approximately $50 billion. Over the next five years, we intend to invest twice that amount as we accelerate our expansion across Africa,” he stated.

He emphasised that the proposed 700,000 barrels-per-day greenfield refinery and petrochemical complex in Lamu, estimated at approximately $17 billion, will be a cornerstone of the Group’s ambition to build a $100 billion African industrial enterprise.

He added that Dangote Group’s expansion plans span a broad range of sectors, including port infrastructure, gas infrastructure, LNG, upstream oil and gas, power generation, mining, and other strategic industrial investments across Africa.

The Dangote Group has awarded a $450 million contract to Engineers India Limited (EIL) to manage the development of the Lamu refinery and petrochemical complex.