Kenyan presidential candidate Patrick Osoi has advised Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote against rushing the proposed refinery project in Kenya. He declared that if elected president next year, he would rely on local investors to carry out the project.
Osoi spoke while addressing supporters at a Lions Movement event, where he argued that Kenya has business people capable of establishing a refinery without depending on the Nigerian industrialist.
“I want to tell Aliko Dangote, please don’t rush to start the refinery because, when I’m sworn in as President of Kenya next year, you will be heading back to Nigeria,” he said.
“We Kenyans have business people who can start the refinery. We also have business people in this country who can do that job. This is what we stand for. This is the home of all movements,” Osoi added.
His comments come amid Dangote’s plans to build a $16 billion oil refinery in Lamu, Kenya, with a proposed processing capacity of 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day.
The project is expected to serve Kenya and other countries in the East African region. It is aimed at strengthening local refining capacity and reducing dependence on imported petroleum products.
Dangote and Kenyan President William Ruto performed the groundbreaking ceremony for the project on September 30, 2026. According to reports surrounding the launch, the refinery is expected to take about 40 months to complete.
The project has, however, faced opposition from some local residents over land ownership, compensation and environmental concerns. A Kenyan court has also ordered the maintenance of the status quo in a land dispute involving the project.
Osoi’s remarks signal a preference for greater local participation in major industrial investments. He did not, however, provide details of how his proposed administration would finance or develop a refinery using Kenyan investors.
Dangote’s proposed investment is among the major industrial projects expected to expand Africa’s refining capacity and strengthen regional energy security.
