Kenyan presidential candidate Patrick Osoi has warned Nigerian billionaire businessman Aliko Dangote not to rush ahead with his proposed refinery project in Kenya, saying he would stop the investment and send Dangote back to Nigeria if elected president next year.
Osoi made the remarks while addressing supporters at a Lions Movement event, arguing that Kenyan businesses should be given the opportunity to develop the country's refining industry.
Osoi Tells Dangote to Wait
In a video circulating online, Osoi directly addressed Dangote over the planned refinery.
“I want to tell Aliko Dangote, please don’t rush to start the refinery because, when I’m sworn in as President of Kenya next year, you will be heading back to Nigeria.”
He argued that Kenya has businesspeople capable of undertaking the project without relying on the Nigerian industrialist.
“We Kenyans have business people who can start the refinery. We also have business people in this country who can do that job,” Osoi said.
Osoi, a former Kenya Defence Forces soldier and presidential aspirant, did not provide details on how his proposed administration would finance or develop a refinery of comparable scale using Kenyan investors.
Dangote’s $16 Billion Kenya Refinery
Osoi's comments come less than two weeks after Dangote and Kenyan President William Ruto attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the proposed refinery in Lamu on September 30, 2026.
The project is estimated at about $16 billion and is designed to have a processing capacity of up to 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day. It is intended to supply refined petroleum products to Kenya and other countries across East Africa.
The project is being developed as part of efforts to expand refining capacity in the region and reduce East Africa's reliance on imported petroleum products.
Reuters reported that the refinery is expected to be completed in 2030 and represents Kenya's largest-ever foreign direct investment. Dangote has also proposed offering regional governments a 30% stake, with the refinery's shares expected to be listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange.
Project Already Facing Challenges
The refinery proposal has faced several challenges even before construction gets underway.
Local residents have raised concerns over land ownership, compensation and environmental issues. A Kenyan court has also ordered parties to maintain the status quo in a land dispute connected to the proposed development.
Reuters previously reported that the project also faces questions over crude-oil supply because Kenya currently lacks sufficient commercial crude production to feed a refinery of the planned scale. Potential supplies from countries including Uganda and South Sudan could face infrastructure and geopolitical challenges.
Environmental concerns have also been raised because of the refinery's planned location near Lamu Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Dangote and Ruto Back the Project
Despite the challenges, Dangote and the Kenyan government have presented the refinery as a major industrial investment that could strengthen energy security and create economic opportunities.
The proposed facility is modeled partly on Dangote's 700,000-barrel-per-day refinery in Nigeria. Reuters reported that the Kenyan project will involve partnerships with Engineers India Limited and Honeywell Technologies and is planned to include a 1,000-megawatt power plant.
Dangote has previously argued that Africa should process more of its own raw materials instead of exporting crude and importing refined products.
The Kenyan project is expected to serve a wider East African market, potentially supplying countries stretching from Ethiopia to Mozambique.
Osoi Wants Greater Local Ownership
Osoi's opposition centres on his argument that major industrial projects should be developed by Kenyan businesses.
His comments indicate that, if elected, his administration would seek to change the current direction of the Dangote refinery project and prioritise domestic investors.
However, the presidential candidate has not publicly outlined a detailed alternative plan showing how Kenyan investors would finance, construct and operate a refinery capable of processing 700,000 barrels of crude per day.
For now, Dangote's proposed investment remains backed by the current Kenyan government, while Osoi's remarks have introduced another political challenge to the project ahead of Kenya's 2027 presidential election.
