Kenyan President William Ruto has reaffirmed his government’s commitment to partnering with Dangote Group on the proposed $17 billion East African Oil Refinery and Petrochemical Complex in Lamu.
Ruto spoke after touring the 700,000 barrels-per-day Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Lagos following his participation in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
The Kenyan president described the facility as “a masterpiece of science, engineering, and art,” saying the visit had strengthened his confidence in the proposed Lamu project.
“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.
He disclosed that preparations had been concluded for the groundbreaking of the Lamu refinery, which he said would serve as a strategic regional asset.
According to Ruto, the project would support industrialisation, create jobs, strengthen engineering and technical capacity, enhance energy security and promote economic integration across East Africa.
“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 said.
Ruto also pledged to remove bureaucratic obstacles that could delay the project, saying the Kenyan government had secured the required land.
“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 stated.
The president also commended Dangote Group President and Chief Executive, Aliko Dangote, for his understanding of the technical and operational details of the refinery.
“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,” Ruto added.
Meanwhile, Dangote Group’s Chief Strategy Officer, Aliyu Suleiman, disclosed that the group generated about $17 billion in revenue in the first half of 2026 and was on course to record $36 billion for the full year.
He said the projected 2026 revenue would represent a 100 per cent increase over the $18 billion recorded in 2025.
“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.
He attributed the growth to investments in cement, sugar, fertiliser, petroleum refining, upstream oil and gas and other strategic sectors.
Suleiman said the group’s expansion was guided by its Vision 2030 strategy, which seeks to expand its industrial footprint across Africa and build globally competitive businesses.
He said the group invested about $50 billion in capital expenditure between 2020 and 2025 and planned to invest twice that amount over the next five years.
According to him, the proposed 700,000 barrels-per-day Lamu refinery and petrochemical complex, estimated at $17 billion, would be a major component of Dangote Group’s ambition to build a $100 billion African industrial enterprise.
The group’s expansion plans, he added, cover port and gas infrastructure, LNG, upstream oil and gas, power generation, mining and other strategic industrial investments across Africa.
As part of preparations for the Lamu project, Dangote Group has signed a contract worth more than $450 million with Engineers India Limited for project management consultancy and engineering, procurement and construction management services for the refinery and petrochemical complex.
