Ruto to Break Ground for Sh2 Trillion Dangote Refinery in Lamu
The products will include petrol, diesel and aviation fuel for the Kenyan market and neighbouring countries.
President William Ruto is set to break ground on Wednesday, September 30, for the construction of a Sh2 trillion Dangote East Africa Refinery at the Port of Lamu. Photo: Peoples Daily.
By Robert Mutasi
President William Ruto is set to break ground on Wednesday, September 30, for the construction of a Sh2 trillion Dangote East Africa Refinery at the Port of Lamu.
The planned facility is expected to become Dangote Group’s largest refining investment outside Nigeria and is projected to take up to three years to complete.
Nigerian businessman and Dangote Group Chairman Aliko Dangote has said the refinery will have the capacity to process 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day and produce more than 100 million litres of petroleum products daily.
The products will include petrol, diesel and aviation fuel for the Kenyan market and neighbouring countries.
The refinery is expected to supply fuel to Ethiopia, South Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo, potentially expanding Lamu’s role as a regional energy and logistics hub.
The project has already begun taking shape at the Port of Lamu, where the Kenya Ports Authority said a vessel carrying 2,930 metric tonnes of construction equipment docked on September 26.
The equipment was transported aboard the MV Da Yang ahead of the groundbreaking ceremony.
President Ruto visited the Dangote Refinery in Lekki, Lagos, Nigeria, on September 25, where he discussed the planned Kenyan investment and its expected contribution to the country’s energy and industrial sectors.
Ruto said the Lamu refinery would improve fuel reliability and security while supporting industrialisation and creating about 60,000 jobs.
Dangote has described the refinery as a potential catalyst for additional investments in Kenya, arguing that the project could attract industries linked to petroleum processing and manufacturing.
The businessman also disclosed plans for a 1,000-megawatt power plant at the Lamu facility, which he said would be powered by petroleum coke. According to Dangote, about 500 megawatts would be available for sale to the Kenyan government.
The proposed refinery is being developed within the wider Lamu Port and LAPSSET corridor, which is intended to serve as a major transport and trade link between the Kenyan coast and landlocked parts of East and Central Africa.
However, the project has also encountered opposition from some residents in Lamu County.
More than 130 residents of Chandavai have gone to court seeking to stop what they describe as the unlawful takeover and destruction of land that their families have occupied and cultivated for generations.
The residents argue that the development could lead to displacement without an adequate resettlement plan or compensation.
The land dispute adds a legal and community dimension to the government’s plans for the refinery as preparations for construction move ahead.
The Lamu project comes as Dangote Group continues to expand its energy business across Africa. The businessman has also announced plans to increase the capacity of his Nigerian refinery from 650,000 barrels per day to 1.4 million barrels per day.
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