By Chibuike Nwabuko
ABUJA (PRECISE POST) – Kenyan President William Ruto has described the Dangote Refinery in Lagos as a major demonstration of what African governments, investors and financial institutions can achieve through collaboration, saying a bigger refinery to be constructed in Kenya will transform the country’s petroleum sector.
Ruto, in remarks posted on his official X handle on Friday, after touring the Dangote Refinery in Lekki, Lagos State, at the invitation of Dangote Group President and CEO, Aliko Dangote, said the visit came ahead of the groundbreaking ceremony for the Dangote East African Refinery in Lamu, Kenya, scheduled for next week.
According to Ruto, the Nigerian refinery represents a massive investment, with a crude oil refining capacity of 700,000 barrels per day and production of more than 100 million litres of petrol, diesel and aviation fuel daily.
He also noted that the company had constructed 120 kilometres of sea cables to facilitate the movement of crude oil from ships to the refinery.
“This huge achievement is a testament of what African governments, investors and financial institutions can do together,” Ruto said.
The Kenyan President said the refinery whose construction is to be launched in Lamu would be bigger than the Nigerian facility and would have a significant impact on Kenya and the wider region.
He said the project would “transform the petroleum sector in our country and region,” while improving fuel reliability and security, accelerating industrialisation and creating an estimated 60,000 jobs.
Ruto further said the completion of the refinery would trigger the emergence of spin-off industries, including fertiliser, chemical and packaging manufacturing.
He expressed optimism that the project would strengthen Kenya’s industrial base and contribute to greater energy security in the country and the region.
