Kenya, Uganda in talks with Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote over East African refinery project

Leaders of Kenya and Uganda are in discussions with Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, to develop a large-scale oil refinery in Tanzania aimed at processing crude from across the region.

The proposed project, expected within the next four to five years, would refine crude sourced from multiple East African producers, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, Kenya, and Uganda, as governments seek to reduce reliance on imported petroleum products.

Driving regional energy integration

Kenya’s President, William Ruto, confirmed that discussions are ongoing among regional governments and Dangote to align policy, financing, and infrastructure requirements. The refinery is expected to be located in Tanga, Tanzania, with a supporting pipeline linking to Mombasa, a key logistics hub on the Indian Ocean.

Speaking at the Africa We Build Summit in Nairobi on April 23, 2026, convened by the African Finance Corporation (AFC), Dangote stated that his group is ready to build this refinery in Tanzania, with a supporting pipeline to Mombasa, Kenya, provided there is strong policy backing and alignment from governments in the region

The initiative, intended as a collaborative project with the East African countries such as Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, and the DRC, is expected to reduce dependence on imported fuel and drive industrialization. It reflects a broader push to strengthen energy security and industrial capacity across East Africa, leveraging shared resources and coordinated infrastructure development.

Dangote signals readiness to invest

Dangote, who is in Nairobi for a two-day summit convened by the Africa Finance Corporation, said he is prepared to support the refinery project at a scale comparable to his flagship development in Nigeria. However, he emphasized that execution would depend on strong alignment among participating governments and clear policy frameworks to support long-term investment.

Building on Nigerian success

Dangote’s willingness to back the East African refinery follows the successful rollout of the Dangote Refinery in Nigeria, one of the largest single-train refineries globally.

If realized, the East African project could transform the region’s energy landscape, positioning it as a refining hub while unlocking value from its growing crude oil production.