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East African nations are exploring the construction of a collaborative oil refinery at Tanzania’s port of Tanga, according to Kenyan President William Ruto.
The project aims to replicate the success of Nigeria’s massive Dangote plant to process crude oil from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, South Sudan, and Uganda.
The region wants to develop local refining capacity to reduce its total dependence on imports from the Middle East and protect its economies from price fluctuations and supply shocks resulting from the current turmoil in Iran.
The initiative received a significant boost from Aliko Dangote, Africa’s wealthiest individual, who attended an infrastructure conference in Nairobi.
Dangote expressed his readiness to lead the project, committing to complete the refinery within five years if regional governments provide the necessary support.
This proposal follows Uganda’s own recent efforts to develop a domestic plant, signalling a broader continental shift toward energy independence and industrial self-sufficiency.
Beyond petroleum, the expansion of industrial infrastructure in Africa remains a key priority.
Dangote also revealed plans to establish 20 fertiliser blending plants across the continent by 2028 to improve agricultural productivity.
He encouraged African investors to participate in the upcoming listing of his Nigerian refinery, emphasising a vision for continental wealth creation by offering dividends in dollars to those who back Africa’s burgeoning energy sector.
