Kenyan presidential candidate Patrick Osoi has urged Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote not to rush the proposed refinery project in Kenya, declaring that he would rely on local investors to undertake the project if elected president next year.
Osoi made the remarks in a video that started trending on Sunday, while addressing supporters at a Lions Movement event, where he argued that Kenya has business people capable of establishing a refinery without depending on the Nigerian industrialist.
“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 said.
“We Kenyans have business people who can start the refinery. We also have business people in this country who can do that job. This is what we stand for. This is the home of all movements,” Osoi added.
His comments come amid plans by Dangote to establish a $16 billion oil refinery in Lamu, Kenya, with a proposed processing capacity of 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day.
The project is expected to serve Kenya and other countries in the East African region, with the aim of strengthening local refining capacity and reducing dependence on imported petroleum products.
Dangote and Kenyan President William Ruto performed the groundbreaking ceremony for the project on 30 September 2026. The refinery is expected to take about 40 months to complete, according to reports surrounding the launch.
However, the project has faced opposition from some local residents over land ownership, compensation and environmental concerns. A Kenyan court has also ordered the maintenance of the status quo in a land dispute involving the project.
Dangote’s proposed investment is among the major industrial projects expected to expand Africa’s refining capacity and strengthen regional energy security.
Watch the video below:
𝐊𝐞𝐧𝐲𝐚𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐎𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐨𝐭𝐞’𝐬 $𝟏𝟔𝐛𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧
Credit: X | a_m_media_ke
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Hannah Johnson is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over three years of professional experience in reporting, storytelling, and digital content creation. She blends traditional reporting skills with a modern, digital-first approach to journalism, producing content tailored for both web and social platforms. Hannah is skilled at turning complex topics into clear, engaging, and relatable stories that resonate with a wide audience. Her work reflects hands-on newsroom experience, editorial judgment, and a strong commitment to accurate, audience-focused journalism.