Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania Eye Joint Oil Refinery in Major Energy Shift
East Africa could well be on the cusp of a major energy game-changer — and this time the region wants to go about it differently.
President William Ruto dropped some new details about a proposed multi-billion dollar oil refinery project following Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote announcing his interest in setting up a plant in Tanzania. But instead of ending up with competing projects, leaders in the region are starting to lean in the other direction – towards working together.
A Joint Refinery Instead of Rival Projects
Speaking at the Kenya Mining Investment Conference and Expo in Nairobi on April 28, Ruto made it pretty clear: the regional leaders are thinking in a more collaborative way.
“We’ve made the decision we’re going to do this all together” Ruto said. “Harnessing the synergies in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, South Sudan – then using them all to have one big refinery here”.
Its a definite shift in tone – and strategy. Rather than each country building its own refinery seperate from the others, the idea is to pool resources and create a single bigger facility that serves the whole region.
Why Export Crude When You Can Refine It?
For years, African countries have been exporting raw materials just to import finished products back in at a higher cost. Ruto says that model is no longer viable.
“In our region” Ruto explained “we’re thinking of how to use all the assets we have – whether its the oil we have, we want to use it to industrialise our countries. We can’t just keep exporting or be exporters of raw materials – it just doesn’t make sense.”
At the heart of this plan is a push for industrialisation – keeping value within the region, creating jobs and strengthening the local economies in the process.
Dangote’s Tanzania Plan Adds Momentum
The conversation got a lot more urgent just days earlier, when Dangote announced his plans to build a refinery in Tanzania’s Tanga area.
“I can give a commitment to the two presidents who were here” Dangote said at the Africa We Build Summit 2026 in Nairobi on April 23 “if they support the refinery project – then I’ll build one identical to the one in Nigeria”.
Dangote’s proposal raised a few eyebrows, especially given the timing. Uganda had already been working on its own refinery plans in Hoima and Kenya had pledged a pretty significant investment in that project.
As you’d expect, this raised questions – like would Dangote’s project jeopardise Uganda’s plans?
“There Was No Headache” — Ruto Pushes Back
Some media outlets were breathless in their descriptions of a supposed snag for Uganda – even going so far as to call it a “headache”. Not so, says Ruto – and he’s not afraid to say it.
“There was no headache, honestly. There was no headache. You’ve got three countries working together to lay down a single piece of infrastructure… How does that amount to a headache?” he shot back.
As he sees it, this isn’t a cause for conflict – but rather an example of a working partnership.
Beyond Oil: A Bigger Industrial Vision
Ruto wasn’t satisfied to just talk about oil. He highlighted the massive potential for growth in East Africa – specifically in mining and renewable energy – and these areas could be the key to really driving forward an industrial push.
The idea is to build an economy that can process its own resources. Rather than just shipping them out raw, they can create value right here at home.
Turkana Oil Adds Urgency
This is all happening as Kenya’s own oil story starts to take shape. Drilling started months ago in Turkana where they’ve already hit on more than 560 million barrels of oil.
That reality really puts some weight behind the conversation. The question now isn’t just about what could be – it’s about what the region is actually going to do about it.
In Other News: Kenya Electricity Prices Rise April 2026 as EPRA Adds New Charges
Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania Eye Joint Oil Refinery in Major Energy Shift
