Dangote Plans Nigeria-scale Refinery in East Africa, Seeks Partnership with Ruto, Museveni

Dangote Plans Nigeria-scale Refinery in East Africa, Seeks Partnership with Ruto, Museveni

Dangote’s East Africa Refinery Ambition

Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man and the driving force behind Nigeria’s landmark 650,000 barrels-per-day refinery, has unveiled plans to replicate a project of similar scale in East Africa.

Speaking at the “Africa We Build” summit in Nairobi, alongside Kenyan President William Ruto and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, Dangote emphasized that the refinery would be completed within four years if regional governments provide strong policy backing and institutional support.

He framed the initiative as a bold step to end Africa’s dependence on exporting raw materials while importing finished products, a cycle he described as impoverishing the continent’s 1.4 billion people.

The proposed refinery would serve multiple countries including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is envisioned as a hub supported by shared pipeline infrastructure, designed to process crude from across the region and reduce costs through economies of scale.

Dangote stressed that consistency in government policy is critical, warning that reversals and uncertainty have historically discouraged long-term investment in Africa. He revealed that his group plans to invest $40 billion across refining, petrochemicals, fertiliser, and manufacturing by 2030, positioning the refinery as a catalyst for industrial self-sufficiency.

Kenyan President Ruto echoed Dangote’s sentiments, insisting that Africa has the raw materials, capital, and industrialists needed to succeed, and that regional collaboration is the way forward.

Ugandan President Museveni reinforced the argument, calling it “near criminal” to continue exporting unprocessed resources when Africa has the capacity to add value.

Both leaders highlighted the importance of shifting from raw material exports to finished product exports as a pathway to prosperity.

Dangote also tied the refinery plan to broader issues of integration, urging African leaders to accelerate visa-free movement across the continent. He argued that trade and investment are hindered by restrictive travel policies, noting that Europeans often move more freely within Africa than Africans themselves. His call for free movement was positioned as essential to unlocking the full potential of intra-African trade.

The announcement comes as Dangote’s Nigerian refinery has already begun reshaping energy markets. It currently supplies over 95 percent of Nigeria’s aviation fuel and has exported 1.1 billion litres of jet fuel to Europe in just two months.

Industry leaders describe the facility as a “game changer” for Nigeria’s aviation sector, even as challenges persist with downstream distribution and pricing.

Beyond energy, the refinery project is seen as a cornerstone for building integrated industrial ecosystems across East Africa, linking energy, mining, manufacturing, and logistics. The Africa Finance Corporation has pointed out that the continent holds trillions of dollars in pension and insurance assets, much of which could be redirected into infrastructure rather than low-yield investments.

Dangote himself insisted that Africa must stop waiting for foreign investors to lead development, declaring that “no investor will come without local leadership and domestic commitment.”

In essence, Dangote’s East Africa refinery plan is more than a business expansion. It is a statement of intent: Africa must take ownership of its industrial future, build value within its borders, and integrate its economies to achieve prosperity.

With the backing of leaders like Ruto and Museveni, the project could mark a turning point in the continent’s long struggle to break free from dependence on external capital and raw material exports.