Nigerian Billionaire Aliko Dangote Plans East Africa Oil Refinery if Ruto and Museveni Support Project

Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote has announced plans to build a large oil refinery in East Africa, a move that could help solve fuel supply challenges in the region.

Dangote announced during the Africa We Build Summit 2026 held in Nairobi on April 23. The event was attended by top business leaders from across Africa and beyond, including President William Ruto and Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni.

According to Dangote, the planned refinery is expected to be built in Tanga, Tanzania. He said the project will also include a pipeline connecting the refinery to Mombasa, making it easier to transport fuel through the Kenya Pipeline Corporation network to different parts of the country and the wider East African region.

However, Dangote said the project will only move forward if it receives full support from the governments involved.

He stated that he is ready to invest in the refinery if Presidents Ruto and Museveni offer strong backing for the project.

“If the two presidents support the refinery, we will build one similar to the one we have in Nigeria,” Dangote said.

The planned refinery is expected to be similar to the massive Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Lagos, Nigeria. The Lagos refinery, which cost about $20 billion, was launched in May 2023 and later became fully operational in February 2026.

The plant currently processes more than 650,000 barrels of crude oil per day, making it one of the largest refineries in Africa.

Dangote said building a similar plant in East Africa would allow the region to produce petrol, diesel and jet fuel locally, reducing the heavy dependence on imported fuel.

This, he explained, could help lower fuel prices, reduce business costs and ease pressure on household budgets.

His company, Dangote Group, has already unveiled a wider $40 billion investment plan that will run up to 2030. The investments will focus on sectors such as petrochemicals, fertiliser production and industrial raw materials.

Dangote also revealed that the Nigerian refinery is being expanded and could eventually handle 1.4 million barrels per day, which would make it one of the biggest refineries in the world.

He noted that the expansion would significantly increase Africa’s refining capacity.

At the summit, Dangote also spoke about Africa’s economic challenges, saying the continent continues to lose value by exporting raw materials instead of finished products.

He added that one of the main goals of the East African project is to support industrial growth and improve Africa’s self-reliance.

The announcement comes at a time when President Ruto has also confirmed that Kenya is exploring investment opportunities in Uganda’s oil refinery sector.

Uganda’s planned refinery in Hoima City is estimated to cost around $4 billion (about KSh500 billion) and is expected to become one of the region’s biggest energy projects.