East African nations are weighing plans for a joint oil refinery in Tanzania’s port city of Tanga, aiming to reshape regional energy security.
Kenyan President William Ruto said the proposed facility would mirror the scale and ambition of Nigeria’s Dangote refinery model.
The region currently depends entirely on imported refined petroleum, leaving economies exposed to supply shocks and volatile global price swings.
Recent disruptions linked to the Iran conflict have underscored the fragility of East Africa’s fuel supply chains and rising consumer costs.
Ruto said the Tanga refinery would process crude from multiple ქვეყნies, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, South Sudan and Uganda.
He described the project as a shared strategic investment designed to anchor regional cooperation and reduce reliance on distant suppliers.
Nigerian industrialist Aliko Dangote signalled readiness to replicate his 650,000-barrel-per-day refinery, contingent on firm backing from participating governments.
Dangote said his group would lead construction efforts and deliver the project within four to five years if agreements are reached.
Uganda, preparing to launch commercial oil production this year, is also advancing separate plans for a domestic refinery project.
In 2024, Kampala signed a deal with UAE-based Alpha MBM Investments to develop a 60,000-barrel-per-day facility.
Dangote added that he intends to establish around 20 fertiliser blending plants across Africa by 2028 to meet growing agricultural demand.
He also encouraged African investors to participate in the future listing of his Nigerian refinery, promising returns paid in dollars.
