President William Ruto and DP Kindiki
President William Ruto has appointed his Deputy Kithure Kindiki to chair a government committee that will coordinate the implementation of the Ksh2.2 trillion oil refinery project set to be constructed in Lamu County.
Speaking on Wednesday, July 8, Ruto said the committee has been tasked with coordinating the government’s engagement with private sector investors ahead of the project’s implementation.
“I have asked the Deputy President to chair the government committee that is going to work with private sector investors and players for what will be one of the largest investments in our country, the investment in the East African oil refinery,” President Ruto said.
The Head of State disclosed that a date had already been set for the groundbreaking ceremony of the mega project.
“We have already set up a date for the groundbreaking, for your information,” President Ruto added.
This comes after Dangote Industries reportedly settled on Lamu Port as the location for the multi-trillion oil refinery.
The construction of the refinery is expected to take between 30 months and three years, after which the facility is expected to begin processing crude oil.
The refinery will serve Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, and other countries in Eastern Africa and is projected to have a capacity to process more than 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day.
The facility is expected to replicate Dangote’s 650,000-barrels-per-day refinery outside Lagos, Nigeria, which came online in 2024.
East Africa currently relies heavily on refined petroleum imports, exposing consumers and governments to shipping costs, foreign exchange pressure, and global supply shocks.
The government has designated seed capital of Ksh 21.5 billion towards the project in the 2026/2027 financial year budget.
