Africa-Press – Uganda. Africa’s richest industrialist, Aliko Dangote, has pledged to replicate his giant Nigerian refinery in East Africa, backing a growing regional push to cut reliance on imported fuel and add value to natural resources.
He made the revelation on Thursday while speaking at the Africa We Build Summit in Kenya.
In his speech, Dangote expressed readiness to invest in a large-scale refinery, saying discussions with regional leaders were progressing.
“I can give commitment to the two presidents that were here. If they will support the refinery, we’ll build the identical one that we have in Nigeria, 650,000 barrels,” he said.
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Lekki, Nigeria, is a 650,000 barrel-per-day, single-train facility that has enabled Nigeria to become a net exporter of petroleum products.
The refinery produces petrol, diesel, aviation fuel, and LPG, and is expanding into petrochemicals, including a new 400,000-tonne Linear Alkylbenzene plant.
Dangote, argued that Africa has the capacity and financing to execute large industrial projects.
“There’s nothing that can stop it. We have done the one in Nigeria, and that’s why we are taking the bold move,” he said, adding that the continent must shed doubt about its industrial potential.
The proposed investment is expected to complement ongoing efforts across East Africa to develop refining capacity amid rising energy demand and global supply uncertainties.
Currently, the region depends almost entirely on imported refined petroleum products, largely sourced from the Middle East. This exposure has left countries vulnerable to external shocks, including price volatility triggered by geopolitical tensions.
Dangote pointed to the wider economic benefits of refining and petrochemical industries, citing Nigeria’s experience where local production has supported key sectors.
“If you look at it today in Nigeria, if not because we have polypropylene, all the plants, all the businesses would have collapsed,” he said, noting that essential goods such as cement, flour and rice rely on petrochemical inputs.
He also stressed the urgency of self-reliance, warning against exporting raw materials only to import finished products at higher costs.
“Let us not be scared… I must really thank the president of Uganda for taking this bold move stopping the export. They will be forced, they will come and produce,” Dangote said.
His comments align with Uganda’s policy direction, as the country is separately advancing plans for its own refinery in Hoima District, targeting a capacity of about 60,000 barrels per day.
Uganda, also hopes to begin commercial crude oil production soon from the Albertine Graben, a development seen as critical to feeding both domestic refining and export pipelines.
Across the region, a parallel initiative is taking shape in Tanzania, where plans are underway to establish a major refinery in Tanga, with logistics links to Kenya’s port of Mombasa. The facility is expected to process crude from countries such as South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Dangote said African firms are now better positioned to finance and deliver such projects compared to previous decades, citing improved access to capital and stronger institutions.
“We too, we have educated people. We have big financial institutions. It’s not like before. Things have changed,” he said.
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