Kenyan President William Ruto has reaffirmed his government’s commitment to partnering with the Dangote Group on the proposed $17bn Lamu refinery and petrochemical complex in Kenya.
Ruto made the commitment after touring the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Lagos at the weekend, describing the 700,000 barrels-per-day facility as a “masterpiece of science, engineering and art.”
The Kenyan President said the visit strengthened his confidence in the proposed Lamu project, which is expected to serve as a major energy and industrial hub for East Africa.
Ruto said preparations had been concluded for the groundbreaking of the project, adding that the Kenyan government had secured the required land and would work to remove bureaucratic delays.
“This is not a Kenyan refinery; it is going to be a regional refinery,” Ruto said, adding that the project would support industrialisation, create jobs, improve engineering capacity and strengthen regional energy security.
The proposed Lamu facility is designed to process about 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day. Engineers India Limited has already secured a contract worth more than $450m to provide project management, engineering, procurement and construction management services for the development. The contract is separate from the estimated $15bn-$17bn overall cost of the refinery and petrochemical complex.
Dangote Group’s Chief Strategy Officer, Aliyu Suleiman, said the company generated about $17bn in revenue in the first half of 2026 and was targeting approximately $36bn for the full year.
He said the group’s expansion strategy was anchored on its Vision 2030 plan, with investments expected across Africa in sectors including cement, fertiliser, oil and gas, power, mining, port infrastructure and LNG.
According to Suleiman, Dangote invested about $50bn in capital expenditure between 2020 and 2025 and plans to invest significantly more over the next five years as it expands its industrial footprint across Africa.
He said the Lamu refinery and petrochemical project would be a major component of Dangote’s ambition to build a $100bn African industrial enterprise.
Ruto also praised Dangote for his understanding of the technical and operational details of the Lagos refinery, saying such commitment had contributed to the facility’s development.
The planned Lamu project is expected to supply refined petroleum products to Kenya and other East African markets, while also serving international markets. The project is being developed around the Lamu Port and LAPSSET corridor, giving it access to regional and international maritime trade routes.