By Ennie Kishiki Mutepuka.
The Dangote Group has announced plans to partner with Kenya and Uganda to develop a major oil refinery in Tanzania, modelled after the Group’s 650,000 barrels per day refinery in Nigeria.
The announcement was made by the Group’s President and Chief Executive, Aliko Dangote, during an infrastructure financing conference in Nairobi that brought together regional leaders and stakeholders, including the presidents of Kenya and Uganda.
Speaking at the event, Aliko Dangote, said the proposed refinery would be developed subject to strong political support from partner countries.
He noted that the planned facility would replicate the design and operational standards of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Nigeria.
“If there is support for the refinery, we will build the identical one that we have in Nigeria,” he said, expressing confidence in the project’s viability and regional impact.
The proposed development forms part of the Dangote Group’s broader commitment to expanding Africa’s industrial capacity through large-scale, locally anchored infrastructure.
As part of this vision, Mr. Dangote disclosed that early-stage piling works are already underway for related refinery projects, which are expected to scale up to a combined capacity of 1.4 million barrels per day, positioning the Group among the world’s leading refining operators.
According to him, the refinery would be fully integrated with petrochemical production to support downstream industries and strengthen regional supply chains. He noted that such integration had proven critical in Nigeria, helping local industries withstand global supply disruptions and sharp increases in input costs, particularly in polypropylene.
Mr. Dangote emphasized that Africa now has the financial institutions and human capital required to execute large-scale industrial projects, calling for greater focus on domestic value addition and self-sufficiency. He also highlighted the importance of policies that encourage local processing of raw materials, citing Uganda’s approach as a positive example.
If realized, the Tanzania refinery project would support regional energy integration and industrialization, a region that currently depends heavily on imported refined petroleum products.
Kenyan President William Ruto, who also spoke at the event, confirmed that East African countries are discussing the establishment of a joint refinery at the port of Tanga in Tanzania.
He said the facility would process crude oil from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, South Sudan, and Uganda to meet regional demand
