Africa’s richest man launches Kenya oil refinery despite land protests

Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote has begun constructing a $16bn oil refinery in Lamu, Kenya, despite local protests demanding more land compensation. The refinery, expected to be East Africa's largest, will process 700,000 barrels of crude oil daily upon completion. Dangote dismissed the protests as mere games, stating the project would proceed as planned and be completed by 2030.

Regional leaders, including Uganda, Ethiopia, Togo, and Benin, attended the groundbreaking ceremony. Dangote offered the governments a combined 30% stake in the refinery. He emphasized Africa's growing industrialization, stating it is a "new chapter" for the continent. President William Ruto echoed this sentiment, highlighting Africa's shift towards financing, building, and adding value locally.

Critics, however, question the environmental impact and Kenya's lack of oil production. Dangote countered, citing Singapore as an example of a country without oil yet having numerous refineries. The refinery will also feature a 1,000-megawatt power plant to support industrialization in Africa. Dangote has several other large-scale projects in the pipeline, including developing 10,000 megawatts of power generation capacity by 2030.