Africa-Press – Kenya. A Nigerian businessman, Aliko Dangote, is considering the establishment of a giant oil refinery in Kenya with a capacity of up to 650,000 barrels per day, a move that could reshape the energy landscape in East Africa.
In an interview with a local source, Dangote stated that he is inclined to choose the coastal city of Mombasa as the site for the project, preferring it over the port of Tanga in Tanzania due to its deeper harbor, larger economy, and broader consumption volume.
He added that “the final decision rests with the Kenyan president William Ruto,” noting that he is ready to proceed with the project if he receives appropriate government and regional support.
This initiative comes after weeks of announcements from East African countries, including Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, discussing the creation of a joint regional refinery at the Tanzanian port of Tanga, similar to Dangote’s refinery in Nigeria.
Dangote estimated the cost of the anticipated project to be between $15 billion and $17 billion, pointing out that East Africa relies almost entirely on importing refined petroleum products from abroad, making the region vulnerable to supply disruptions and fluctuations in global prices.
Observers believe that any new project in East Africa could provide the region with greater capacity to achieve fuel self-sufficiency and reduce dependence on imports, especially amid geopolitical tensions that have affected global energy markets in recent months.
