Kenya, Tanzania and neighbors discuss joint refinery as Dangote offers to build it
East African countries are discussing plans for a joint oil refinery at Tanzania's port of Tanga modeled on Nigeria's Dangote plant, Kenyan President William Ruto said on Thursday.
East Africa currently imports all of its refined petroleum products, mainly from the Middle East, leaving the region vulnerable to supply disruptions and price spikes as seen in the fallout of the Iran conflict.
"We're going to have a joint refinery in Tanga to benefit all of us because that refinery is going to take on board the oil from DRC (Democratic Republic of the Congo), the oil from Kenya, the oil from South Sudan, and the oil from Uganda," Ruto told a conference on infrastructure financing in Nairobi.
Africa's richest man Aliko Dangote, who also attended the conference, said he could replicate his 650,000‑bpd Nigerian refinery in East Africa, provided governments in the region supported the initiative.
"My commitment today here is that if we agree with the three or four governments here about the refinery, we will lead and we'll make sure that refinery is built within the next four or five years," Dangote said.
Uganda, which hopes to start commercial crude oil production this year, has also said it plans to build a refinery. In 2024, it announced a deal with United Arab Emirates‑based Alpha MBM Investments to develop a 60,000‑bpd plant.
Dangote also said he planned to establish about 20 fertilizer blending plants across Africa by 2028 to meet most of the continent’s needs.
Asked about the planned listing of his Nigerian refinery, Dangote said African investors should participate, adding: "All of Africa should invest. I will be paying dividends in dollars."
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