Dangote Blames Marketers, Oil Firms for Protests Over $16bn Kenya Refinery

Nigerian billionaire and Dangote Group President Aliko Dangote has blamed local oil marketers and international oil companies for protests surrounding land earmarked for his proposed $16 billion refinery in Lamu, Kenya.
Dangote spoke to the BBC’s Focus on Africa programme after protests by some Lamu residents over compensation for land acquired for the project. He rejected claims that his company had taken more land than required, saying it was using the portion allocated by the Kenyan government.
Dangote and Kenyan President William Ruto performed the groundbreaking ceremony for the refinery on Wednesday, despite a court order restricting construction activities over a land dispute. A group of 133 Lamu residents had approached the Kenyan High Court seeking to stop work on the disputed site.
Dangote described the protests as “games played by local marketers and international players” and insisted they would not derail the project. He said the refinery remained scheduled for completion in 2030 and would demonstrate that the success of his 700,000-barrel-per-day refinery in Nigeria could be replicated elsewhere in Africa.
The proposed Lamu refinery is expected to process 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day when completed, making it the largest refinery project in East Africa. Dangote said the development would also become his largest proposed investment outside Nigeria and create about 60,000 jobs at the peak of construction.
The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by several African leaders, including the presidents of Uganda, Ethiopia, Togo and Benin. Reuters reported that Dangote had offered regional governments a combined 30 per cent stake in the refinery.
However, the project continues to face opposition from environmental campaigners and some residents. Save Lamu co-founder Walid Ali told the BBC that communities wanted access to the environmental impact assessment and details of proposed measures to reduce the project’s effects on the local environment.
The court has restricted activities including excavation and construction on the disputed land pending the next hearing, scheduled for October 14. The proposed refinery will also include a 1,000-megawatt power plant intended to support Dangote’s operations and other industries expected to develop around the project.