Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has unveiled plans to establish a 650,000 barrels-per-day refinery in East Africa, similar in scale to his flagship facility in Nigeria, as part of efforts to expand industrial capacity across the continent.
He made the announcement at a high-level summit in Nairobi attended by key African leaders, including William Rutoand Yoweri Museveni, where discussions focused on Africa’s energy and infrastructure demands.
Dangote noted that the success of the proposed refinery would depend on strong government support and consistent policies, adding that his group is committing about $40 billion in investments across multiple sectors between now and 2030. He expressed confidence in the project’s viability, describing it as achievable with the right backing.
He also stressed the need for Africa to reduce reliance on imports by building local industries, warning that exporting raw materials limits job creation while increasing dependence on foreign goods. According to him, sectors such as refining, fertiliser production, and petrochemicals are key to driving economic growth and employment.
The proposed refinery forms part of a broader strategy to boost self-sufficiency, especially as projections indicate that Africa could face a significant fuel deficit in the coming decades, increasing the urgency for large-scale refining capacity on the continent.
