Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has announced plans to build a 650,000 barrels-per-day refinery in East Africa, marking a major expansion of his refining operations beyond Nigeria.
Dangote made the disclosure on Thursday during a presidential panel at the Africa We Build Summit organised by the Africa Finance Corporation in Nairobi, where he called on regional governments to support the project.
Dangote said his company is prepared to replicate the scale and operational model of its Lagos-based refinery in East Africa if the necessary government backing is secured.
“I can give commitment to the presidents here today that if they support the refinery, we will build the identical one that we have in Nigeria… there is nothing that can stop it,” he said.
The proposed refinery is expected to significantly boost refining capacity in the region and reduce dependence on imported petroleum products.
Regional collaboration and strategic location
The announcement comes as East African countries, including Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, intensify discussions on establishing a joint refining hub in the Tanzanian port city of Tanga.
The facility is expected to process crude oil from across the region, including supplies from the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan.
Kenyan President William Ruto confirmed ongoing talks with Dangote and regional partners.
“We are going to have a joint refinery in Tanga… we are in talks with Dangote to see how we can collaborate on building a refinery in the region,” Ruto said.
He added that a pipeline linking Mombasa to Tanga is being considered to ensure steady crude supply to the facility.
Nigeria expansion and push for African industrialisation
Dangote also revealed that expansion work has begun on his Nigeria refinery, targeting an increase in capacity to 1.4 million barrels per day.
“We have already started piling for the expansion… it will be the largest refinery globally,” he said, adding that the facility could account for about 10 percent of U.S. refining capacity.
The billionaire industrialist stressed the need for Africa to reduce reliance on fuel imports, warning that global price volatility continues to expose economies to shocks.
“Look at what is happening today… prices jumped from about $900 per tonne to nearly $3,000 per tonne. That tells you why we must build local capacity,” he said.
He noted that about 75 percent of refined petroleum products in East and Southern Africa are currently imported, largely from the Middle East.
Investment and Timeline
Dangote said the refinery could be delivered within four to five years once agreements are finalised, adding that the project would unlock large-scale investment opportunities across the continent.
He also disclosed plans to open up ownership of the refinery to African investors, offering dollar-denominated returns.
“We want all Africans to invest. This is a continental asset… we will be paying dividends in dollars,” he said.
Beyond refining, Dangote announced plans to establish about 20 fertiliser blending plants across Africa by 2028, further strengthening his footprint in the continent’s industrial value chain.
Experts say the proposed East African refinery could reshape fuel supply dynamics across the region, improve energy security, and reduce exposure to global supply disruptions.
The project also aligns with broader efforts by African nations to build domestic refining capacity and transition from import dependence to self-sufficiency.
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