NAIROBI, Kenya, April 24 – Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has unveiled plans to expand his refining footprint into East Africa, proposing a large-scale refinery comparable to his flagship facility in Nigeria, in a move that could reshape the region’s energy landscape.
Speaking at the “Africa We Build” summit in Nairobi, Dangote said his group is ready to construct a 650,000 barrels-per-day refinery in partnership with regional governments, provided there is policy alignment and sustained support.
“I can give commitment… if they will support the refinery, we’ll build the identical one that we have in Nigeria,” he said, indicating the project could be completed within four to five years.
The proposed refinery would serve a broad regional market including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, leveraging shared infrastructure to reduce costs and improve efficiency.
Dangote positioned the project as part of a broader push to end Africa’s long-standing reliance on exporting raw materials while importing refined products.
“By exporting raw materials and importing finished products, we are impoverishing our population,” he said, calling for a shift toward value addition and industrialisation.
The proposal received backing from regional leaders, including President William Ruto and Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni, who both emphasised the need for Africa to build its own industrial capacity.
Ruto noted that the continent has the resources, capital and market to support such investments, while Museveni described the continued export of unprocessed resources as economically damaging.
The planned expansion builds on the influence of the Dangote Refinery in Nigeria, a $20 billion facility that is already impacting regional and global fuel markets. Dangote said the refinery is exporting significant volumes of aviation fuel to Europe, highlighting its growing international reach.
Beyond refining, Dangote outlined plans to invest up to $40 billion across petrochemicals, fertiliser and manufacturing by 2030, underscoring a broader strategy to drive industrial growth across the continent.
He also called for improved intra-African mobility, arguing that visa restrictions continue to hinder trade and investment.
“With a European passport, you can move faster in Africa than being an African,” he said.
Analysts say the proposed East African refinery, if realised, would represent one of the continent’s most significant cross-border industrial investments, with far-reaching implications for energy security, regional trade and economic integration.
The initiative reflects a growing consensus among African leaders that long-term growth will depend less on raw resource exports and more on building strong industrial and manufacturing capacity.