OYOMINTO TV.
President William Ruto and Nigerian businessman Aliko Dangote presided over the ceremony attended by four Heads of State and other delegations from the region.
The project, the largest single investment in Eastern and Central Africa, is expected to transform the region’s energy and industrial landscape while unlocking new opportunities along the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) corridor.
The leaders present included Presidents Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Romuald Wadagni (Benin) and Jean-Lucien Savi de Tové (Togo) and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
When completed, the Lamu refinery will have the capacity to process 700,000 barrels of crude oil a day, making it one of the largest in the world.
The integrated complex will include a 1,000MW power plant, a polypropylene (synthetic plastic) plant and facilities to manufacture fertiliser, chemicals and packaging.
President Ruto described the project as a demonstration of what Africa can achieve when ambition is matched with action.
“We begin to turn a proposal into an industry. We begin to transform a long-held ambition into real opportunity. For Kenya. For East Africa. And for Africa,” he said.
The President framed the refinery as a practical response to a decades-old economic challenge in which African countries export raw materials while importing finished products.
“The argument is simple. We must produce more of what we consume. We must add value to more of what we produce. And we must finance more of what we build,” he said.
For decades, Africa has supplied raw materials while other countries have captured the processing, manufacturing, jobs and profits, he said.
“Crude oil leaves; refined fuel returns. Cotton leaves; garments return. Cocoa leaves; chocolate returns,” he said.
Citing Afreximbank data, he pointed out that Africa produced 6.8 million barrels of crude oil a day in 2024, but consumed 4.5 million barrels of refined petroleum products daily.
Kenya alone spent KSh528.8 billion ($4 billion) importing petroleum products last year, he said.
“A refinery will not make that bill disappear overnight. Crude must still be bought,” the President cautioned. “But that figure tells us why Kenya and our neighbours must build the capacity to refine closer to the markets we serve.”
He stated that the Lamu project is modelled on the Dangote Refinery in Lekki, Lagos State, Nigeria, which he visited last week. The 650,000-barrel a day facility is among the largest single-train refineries in the world.
“For years, many said a project of that scale was beyond Africa’s reach. Today, it is operating on African soil. Conceived in Africa. Led by an African. Owned by Africans,” he said.
He also called for a new approach to financing Africa’s major infrastructure and industrial projects, saying governments could not shoulder every commercial risk.
“For too long, too many of our ambitions waited for one source of money: The public purse,” he said. “Government cannot borrow to build every factory and carry every commercial risk alone.”
President Ruto expressed confidence now that investor confidence is returning to Kenya, saying Kenya attracted a record $3.2 billion in foreign direct investment in 2025, a 38 per cent increase and more than double the 2022 figure.
“Lamu is the next test of that confidence. And we intend to pass it,” he said.
The President said the refinery will help unlock the full potential of the LAPSSET Corridor, which was envisioned as a major trade and transport gateway linking Kenya to neighbouring countries.
“But a corridor without commerce is just a road. A port without industry is just a harbour. This investment can give both a reason to grow,” he said.
The President assured Lamu residents that their interests would be protected as the project takes shape.
“Your rights will be respected. Your voice will be heard from today until the day this refinery runs – and beyond,” he said.
The project is expected to create up to 60,000 direct and indirect jobs, with peak construction wages estimated at KSh2 billion a month during construction.
President Ruto directed technical colleges and universities to begin training welders, technicians and engineers to meet the skills demand expected from the project.
“The refinery’s scale will be measured in barrels and dollars, but its success must be measured in skills gained, enterprises built, livelihoods protected and public trust earned,” he said.
For Mr Dangote, the Lamu refinery began as an unexpected outcome of discussions that were initially focused on Kenya importting fertiliser from the industrialist’s factory in Nigeria.
Mr Dangote had attended the Africa We Build Conference in Nairobi in April 2026. President Museveni was also present. That is when President Ruto persuaded Mr Dangote to consider establishing a refinery in Kenya.
“It started like a joke. It was meant to be a deal to buy fertiliser from our Nigerian company,” Mr Dangote said.
He said subsequent discussions with Presidents Ruto and Museveni initially pointed to Tanga, Tanzania, as the preferred location. Eventually, Lamu was selected.
Mr Dangote said the Kenyan refinery will be among the fastest major projects to move from conception to groundbreaking, second
only to the fertiliser plant in Ethiopia.
He defended the project against criticism, explaining that the people of Lamu should not be denied the economic opportunities it presents.
The industrialist also cautioned residents against selling their land, warning that speculators were likely to descend on Lamu following the launch of the project.
“Africa must develop Africa. This project is about Africa coming together to build,” he said.
Mr Dangote said the refinery represents a new chapter in Africa’s industrialisation, with countries working together to create prosperity rather than continuing to export raw materials and, in the process, exporting jobs and opportunities.
He recalled the challenges he encountered while developing the Nigerian refinery, but said his team chose to focus on opportunities rather than obstacles.
“There were many obstacles, but for us we saw opportunities. Where others saw risks, we saw possibilities,” he said.
He pointed out that the Nigerian project has demonstrated that Africa could build at scale and that the Lamu refinery would seek to go further.
“In Nigeria, we showed it was possible and now we want to show we can do it better, bigger and improved. We want to show that it can be done and can be repeated,” he said.
Mr Dangote pledged to complete the Lamu project within 40 months. He also promised that residents will be given priority in employment, saying 1,000 young people with engineering training would receive additional training before being employed.
“We will build possibilities for people by building local capacity and not importing skills and talent,” he said.
He said the project is part of a broader African effort to produce what the continent consumes and strengthen self-reliance.
President Museveni said Africa has suffered what he described as “betrayal for decades” as natural resources are shipped out with little value retained on the continent.
“I can see this betrayal is coming to an end,” he said.
Prime Minister Abiy stated that Africa is increasingly seeking ways to shield itself from global economic shocks and persistent disruptions to supply chains.
Lamu Governor Issa Timamy said the project will have a significant impact on residents, particularly young people and local businesses.
“It means jobs for youths and customers for our entrepreneurs,” he said, adding that the project places Lamu firmly on the national and international development map.
“Those opposing the refinery are enemies of development. How can you stop a project that will employ thousands of our youths?” he asked.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki said the project demonstrates that Africa has the capacity to undertake major industrial ventures.
“Africa can do it and do well,” he said.
Also present were former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and delegations from Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan.
Ends
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