Dangote Considers Constructing East African Refinery Pending Certain Conditions

Aliko Dangote, Africa's leading industrialist and President of the Dangote Group, expressed his commitment to replicating the refinery in Lagos in East Africa, given the right support, during the Africa We Build Summit 2026 in Nairobi, Kenya on Thursday.

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At the infrastructure summit, Dangote made a pledge to Kenya's President William Ruto and Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni, stating that with their support, he would build an identical refinery to the one in Nigeria, with a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day.

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The proposed refinery, to be constructed in Tanga, Tanzania, would be connected to Kenya's Mombasa port via a pipeline, serving the entire East African region and benefiting countries including Kenya, Uganda, and neighboring eastern African nations.

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Dangote emphasized his readiness to undertake the project, stating that nothing could stop it, given the experience gained from building the refinery in Nigeria, where piling has started and construction is underway to create a massive refinery with a capacity of 1.4 million barrels per day.

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This refinery would be the world's second-largest, accounting for 10% of the United States' total refining capacity, and would also produce a range of petrochemicals, which are essential for various industries, including packaging for cement, flour, rice, and grains.

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Dangote highlighted the importance of self-sufficiency, citing the recent surge in polypropylene costs, from $900 to $3,000 within just 45 days, which has made it unaffordable for businesses to import these essential materials.

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He emphasized the need for Africans to develop their own capabilities, rather than relying on external producers, and expressed gratitude to the President of Uganda for taking a bold step by stopping the export of raw materials and encouraging local production.

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Dangote believes that with the support of big financial institutions and the vision of African leaders, it is possible for the continent to achieve self-sufficiency and drive growth, and he urged Africans not to be afraid to take on big projects and develop their own industries.