Kenya: construction launched for Dangote mega-refinery at Lamu
Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote plans a new mega-refinery at Lamu on Kenya's east coast, with construction officially launched on Wednesday 30 September. The cost is estimated at 16 billion dollars, with completion expected in 2030 and eventual processing of 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day. President William Ruto promoted the project, promising 60,000 direct and indirect jobs, while Dangote promised training for 1,000 young people from surrounding communities; locally the project is received with caution, between hopes for development and concerns about its environmental and social effects.
Why it matters: The launch places energy infrastructure at the centre of the briefing's themes, since a refinery of this capacity would alter Kenya's crude-processing position and the development prospects of Lamu's coastal communities.