Dangote plans $17B Kenya refinery after Tanzania concerns

Aliko Dangote plans to build a $15-17 billion, 650,000-barrel-a-day oil refinery in Mombasa, Kenya, shifting from previous plans in Tanzania. The Nigerian billionaire cited Kenya's larger, deeper port as a key advantage and noted Kenyan consumers represent a bigger economy. The move came after Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan expressed anger about not being consulted on earlier plans to build the facility on her country's coastline. For the project to proceed this year, Dangote requires land, some East African finance, and protection against dumping of cheap fuel from countries like Russia or India. 'The ball is in the hands of President Ruto,' Dangote told Financial Times. 'Whatever President Ruto says is what I'll do.' Meanwhile, Dangote's Nigerian refinery, commissioned in May 2023, has reached full capacity just as global shipping disruptions make fuel supply challenging. The refinery has been exporting jet fuel to European airlines at premium prices and supplying urea fertilizer across the continent.

SOURCE: https://www.channelstv.com/2026/05/11/dangote-eyes-kenya-for-17bn-refinery/