Nairobi, Kenya: Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has pledged to lead the construction of a major oil refinery in East Africa, marking a significant step toward reducing the region’s dependence on imported fuel.
Dangote made the announcement during an Africa Finance Corporation summit in Nairobi, where regional leaders unveiled plans for a joint refinery project to be located in Tanga, Tanzania.
“We are going to have a joint refinery in Tanga to benefit all of us,” Dangote said, committing to deliver the project within four to five years.
The proposed refinery will be constructed in Tanga and supported by a pipeline linking it to Mombasa, Kenya.
William Ruto said the facility will process crude oil from countries including South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, positioning it as a regional energy hub.
The project is expected to complement the East African Crude Oil Pipeline, which will transport crude oil from Uganda’s oil fields to Tanzania’s coastline.
During the summit, Uganda’s President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni indicated that Uganda could supply part of its crude to the Tanga refinery.
The development comes amid growing concern over Africa’s reliance on imported refined petroleum products, particularly from the Middle East.
Despite producing about 7% of the world’s crude oil, Africa has seen a steady decline in refining capacity over the past two decades, forcing many countries to import most of their fuel needs.
Some East and Southern African countries currently source up to 75% of their fuel from the Gulf, exposing them to global supply disruptions.
Dangote’s move builds on the success of his refinery in Nigeria, currently the largest in Africa, which has helped boost the country’s fuel self-sufficiency.
He indicated that the Tanga refinery could replicate the Nigerian model.
“If supported, we will build an identical refinery to what we have in Nigeria,” Dangote said.
The project is part of his broader $40 billion expansion strategy aimed at significantly increasing refining capacity across Africa.
Across Africa, governments are accelerating investments in refining infrastructure following years of underinvestment and closure of key facilities in cities such as Mombasa, Lusaka, Durban, and Limbe.
Mozambique is exploring a 200,000-barrel-per-day refinery, while Uganda continues plans to develop a 60,000-barrel-per-day refinery to meet domestic and regional demand.
Analysts say the Tanga refinery could reshape East Africa’s energy landscape, improve fuel security, and strengthen regional economic integration.
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