By Lizzy Chirkpi
Kenyan presidential aspirant Patrick Osoi has warned Nigerian billionaire businessman Aliko Dangote against proceeding with his proposed $16 billion refinery project in Kenya, threatening to send him back to Nigeria if elected president next year.
Osoi made the remarks while addressing supporters at a Lions Movement event, arguing that Kenyan entrepreneurs had the capacity to develop the country’s refining industry without relying on foreign investors.
“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.
The presidential aspirant insisted that local investors could execute the project, questioning the need to bring in 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. This is what we stand for. This is the home of all movements,” Osoi added.
His remarks come days after Dangote and Kenyan President William Ruto performed the groundbreaking ceremony for the proposed refinery in Lamu on September 30, 2026.
The $16 billion project is designed to process up to 700,000 barrels of crude oil daily, potentially positioning Kenya as a major refining hub for East Africa.
The refinery is expected to reduce the region’s dependence on imported petroleum products, strengthen energy security and create opportunities for industrial development.
Dangote has described the project as part of a broader effort to expand Africa’s refining capacity and reduce the continent’s reliance on imported refined petroleum products.
Speaking ahead of the groundbreaking ceremony, the Nigerian industrialist expressed optimism that Africa could achieve substantial fuel self-sufficiency by 2030.
“By 2030, the majority of African countries will be self-sufficient. It does not matter where it is refined, but it should be in the African continent, on the soil of Africa,” he said.
Dangote also dismissed concerns about challenges facing the project, saying, “There’s actually no problem with these sort of cases.”
He added: “There are people who don’t want the development of Africa.”
However, the proposed refinery has faced concerns over land rights, compensation and environmental impacts, with a legal dispute involving the project site adding to the challenges surrounding its development.
Osoi’s remarks have introduced a political dimension to the investment, raising questions about the role of foreign investors in strategic industries and whether local businesses should take the lead in developing Kenya’s energy infrastructure.
Although he pledged to prioritise Kenyan investors, the presidential aspirant did not explain how his proposed administration would finance or deliver a refinery of comparable scale.
His threat to halt the project remains a campaign declaration, rather than an established government policy.
The controversy comes as Dangote seeks to expand his industrial footprint beyond Nigeria, with the proposed Kenyan refinery expected to serve a regional market across East Africa.