NewzNAIROBI, Kenya Sep 30 – President William Ruto has challenged billionaire Aliko Dangote to deliver the Sh2.2 trillion Lamu oil refinery within the 40-month timeline announced for the project. Speaking during the groundbreaking ceremony in Lamu on Wednesday, Ruto said Kenyans closely monitor government and investment timelines, warning Dangote that the public would hold him to account if the refinery is not completed as promised. Ruto said Dangote had committed to returning to Lamu in 40 months to officially commission the refinery.
“We have heard you say that you’ll be back in 40 months to officially open the Lamu Oil Refinery. Kenyans are very good at keeping data. I want to warn you… they take me to task every time I give them a timeframe,” Ruto said.
Dangote announced during the ceremony that he expected the refinery to be completed and commissioned within 40 months. The commitment places the project on an ambitious construction schedule, with the refinery expected to be operational by around 2030. The planned facility will have a refining capacity of 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day, positioning it as a major petroleum-processing facility for Kenya and the wider East African market.
Dangote has said the refinery is intended to reduce the region’s dependence on imported refined petroleum products while supporting industrialisation and intra-African trade. The project is also expected to generate tens of thousands of jobs and support related industries, including petrochemicals and logistics. Ruto’s remarks highlighted the pressure associated with the timeline given for the project, with the President noting that Kenyans routinely hold leaders accountable for deadlines they announce.
The President has strongly backed the refinery, describing it as a major investment that will contribute to Kenya’s industrial and economic development. The project has already attracted regional interest, with governments in East Africa offered an opportunity to take a collective stake in the refinery. Reuters reported that regional governments have been offered a 30 percent equity stake in the project.
Ruto has separately said the Kenyan government will take a stake in the refinery and invest through the National Infrastructure Fund. The construction timeline comes as preparations for the project gather pace. Lamu Port has already received thousands of tonnes of heavy m…
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