# Ruto Says Dangote's Kenya Refinery Will Create 60,000 Jobs and Cut Import Dependence

> The $15-16 billion Lamu facility is designed to serve Kenya and six neighboring countries, with Dangote predicting it will pull in a wave of follow-on investment once it's running.

- Source: African Economy
- Canonical URL: https://africaneconomy.net/article/dangote-kenya-refinery-60000-jobs-ruto
- Author: African Economy Staff
- Section: Trade & Investment
- Published: 2026-10-21T11:19:40.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-21T11:19:40.000Z
- Tags: Kenya, Aliko Dangote, William Ruto, jobs, East Africa

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Kenyan President William Ruto says the Dangote Group's planned second major refinery, a 700,000-barrel-per-day facility in Lamu, will generate roughly 60,000 jobs while strengthening the country's fuel security and industrial base, according to a report by Forbes Africa. The project, estimated at $15 to $16 billion with completion targeted for 2030, would slightly exceed the capacity of Dangote's existing Lagos refinery and formally broke ground in September 2026.

Kenya imported 5.5 million tons of petroleum products in 2025, a 12.2 percent increase over the prior year, with petroleum import spending reaching roughly $4.1 billion for the year. Backers of the project argue that domestic refining capacity on this scale could meaningfully cut that import bill over time, not just for Kenya but for the wider region, since the refinery is designed to also serve Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The facility is also expected to generate roughly 1,000 megawatts of power from petroleum coke, with around 500 megawatts potentially sold back to Kenya's government. Dangote described the refinery as a gateway likely to draw in a wave of additional investment once operational, saying people would be shocked at how much interest it would attract to Kenya. Financing plans reportedly include internal cash flow, bond issuance, a public offering, and the previously announced equity stakes open to East African governments.

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Originally published by African Economy. Free to cite with attribution and a link to https://africaneconomy.net/article/dangote-kenya-refinery-60000-jobs-ruto.