The Ministry of Energy and Petroleum has invited Kenyans to propose a name for the country’s crude oil ahead of the planned commencement of commercial production on December 1.
In a notice obtained by Kenyans.co.ke, the government said the exercise aims to establish the official name under which Kenyan crude will be traded in international markets, with submissions closing at 5pm on Thursday, October 29.
This follows President William Ruto’s announcement during Mashujaa Day celebrations that Kenya is targeting December 2026 to begin crude oil exports from Turkana.
The country will transition from exploration and pilot production to full commercial operations, years after commercially viable oil deposits were discovered in the South Lokichar Basin in Turkana County in 2012, with Kenyan crude expected to be offered to international refiners and traders shortly after production begins.
Workers walk past storage tanks at Tullow Oil's Ngamia 8 drilling site in Lokichar, Turkana County.
In February, Gulf Energy E&P BV secured a Ksh1.9 billion onshore drilling rig from the United Arab Emirate’s Great Wall Drilling Company under a long-term lease, with drilling in the basin initially scheduled to begin in July.
The naming exercise now gives Kenyans a chance to help determine how the country’s petroleum resources will be identified and marketed globally.
“Kenya’s chosen crude name will be the country’s commercial identity in the global oil market for decades, and it will carry Kenya's story to buyers globally. The Government therefore considers it right that Kenyans take part in choosing this name,” the notice stated.
The government noted that crude oil grades traded internationally are identified by distinct names used in cargo documents, price reports and trading platforms, citing Brent from the United Kingdom, Murban from the United Arab Emirates and Bonny Light from Nigeria as examples.
Thus, it has called on individuals, communities, institutions, professional organisations and other interested parties to submit their suggestions for consideration.
Each proposal must include the suggested name, an explanation of its meaning and suitability, and the submitter’s contact details.
The ministry said the preferred name should reflect Kenya’s national identity, promote patriotism and be easy to pronounce and remember across different languages.
Submissions must also avoid associations with individual counties, communities, companies, political movements or religious groups, while meeting trademark registration requirements in Kenya and abroad.
Members of the public can submit their proposals through the government's official petroleum website or by email to crudeoilbranding@petroleum.go.ke, or by delivering them in a sealed envelope marked “Public participation: Naming of Kenya’s crude oil” to the State Department for Petroleum on the 11th floor of Kasneb Towers Two.
File photo of South Lokichar oil project in Turkana
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