Kenya’s President William Ruto praised the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Lagos as a “masterpiece of science, engineering and art” during a visit last week, while reaffirming his government’s support for a $17 billion East African refinery project in Lamu. The facility, which processes 700,000 barrels per day, impressed him with its scale and operational sophistication, strengthening his confidence in the proposed Kenyan project.
He specifically commended Dangote Group’s founder, Aliko Dangote, for his technical expertise, noting that the chief executive’s detailed understanding of the plant’s operations was a key factor in its success.
The leader emphasized that the Lamu refinery would not be limited to national use but would serve as a regional asset, driving industrialisation, job creation and energy security across East Africa. “This is not a Kenyan refinery; it is going to be a regional refinery,” he declared, adding that the government had secured the necessary land and was working to minimise bureaucratic delays to ensure timely construction.
Dangote Group’s chief strategy officer, Aliyu Suleiman, revealed during the visit that the conglomerate had generated $36 billion in revenue in the full year, putting it on track for a record after posting a $18 billion total the previous year. That amount of revenue in the first half of 2026 positioned the group for a 100% increase over the prior period, reflecting sustained investments across sectors including cement, sugar, fertilizers and petroleum refining.
Suleiman linked the company’s expansion to its Vision 2030 strategy, which aims to build a $100 billion African industrial enterprise by the end of the decade. Between 2020 and 2025, the group spent approximately $50 billion on capital projects and plans to double that investment over the next five years.
Beyond refining, the conglomerate is diversifying into port infrastructure, gas networks, liquefied natural gas and mining. It has already signed a $450 million contract with Engineers India Limited to provide project management and construction services for the Lamu facility,
