Kenya to Begin Commercial Oil Production by 2026, Says CS Wandayi as Turkana Output Rises
Kenya will begin commercial oil production by 2026, with Energy CS Opiyo Wandayi saying output from Turkana’s South Lokichar fields will rise gradually as the country advances plans for a regional refinery in Tanga.
Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi. Photo/Courtesy
By Ruth Sang
Kenya is set to commence commercial oil production by the end of 2026, Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi has told the Senate.
Addressing a plenary session, Wandayi said developments at South Lokichar in Turkana County will initially yield about 20,000 barrels of oil per day, with production expected to gradually rise to around 50,000 barrels daily.
“From the beginning we shall be producing about 20,000 barrels per day, which will progress to some 50,000 barrels per day,” he said.
However, the CS noted that the projected output remains insufficient to support a viable domestic refinery.
“Petroleum economics tell us that we need some 300,000 to 500,000 barrels per day to run a refinery viably,” Wandayi added.
He defended the government’s proposal to develop a regional refinery in Tanga, saying it presents a more economically sound option compared to reviving the defunct Changamwe Oil Refinery, which shut down in 2013 due to ageing infrastructure and commercial unviability.
“That informs the justification and the basis for the plan to establish a refinery in Tanga that will not only serve Kenya but also neighbouring countries. It’s basically business logic,” he said.
The South Lokichar oil project, now operated under Gulf Energy, is expected to unlock millions of barrels of recoverable crude, with planned exports of between 25,000 and 80,000 barrels per day via a proposed pipeline to Lamu.
The government says the broader strategy aims to reduce dependence on imported fuel from the Middle East while strengthening regional energy security.
The proposed Tanga refinery, estimated at about $20 billion (KSh2.58 trillion), is expected to serve East Africa and cushion the region from global supply shocks affecting fuel prices.
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