President William Ruto has visited the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals Complex in Lagos, Nigeria, where he was hosted by Dangote Group President and Chief Executive Aliko Dangote.
Dangote Africa confirmed the visit on Friday, September 25, 2026, saying Dangote was hosting Ruto for a tour of the refinery.
“President/Chief Executive, Aliko Dangote, hosts Kenyan President, Dr. William Ruto, at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals Complex on a tour of the merchant Refinery,” Dangote Africa said in a post on X.
The visit comes as Kenya prepares to advance plans for the proposed East Africa Refinery in Lamu, a project that is expected to involve Dangote.
Ruto had earlier met Dangote and Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) chief executive Samaila Zubairu on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where discussions focused on preparations for the proposed refinery.
Following the meeting, Ruto said Kenya was ready to move ahead with the project.
“We are ready to break ground on the East Africa refinery in Lamu, a transformative project that will enhance the region’s energy security, deepen local value addition, create jobs and advance our industrialisation agenda,” Ruto said.
The President had also said the groundbreaking would take place within a week of his announcement in New York.
Ruto with Aliko Dangote during a tour of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Lagos, Nigeria, on Friday, September 25, 2026. PHOTODangote AfricaX
Ruto with Aliko Dangote during a tour of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Lagos, Nigeria, on Friday, September 25, 2026. PHOTO/@DangoteAfricaa/X
Refinery plans
The proposed East Africa Refinery is expected to have a processing capacity of 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day.
The facility is planned to process crude from Kenya’s oilfields in Lokichar, Turkana County, and supply refined petroleum products to markets in East and Central Africa.
The Kenyan Government has put the investment at about $16 billion, equivalent to roughly Ksh2 trillion, while earlier reports have placed the projected cost within a range of $15 billion to $17 billion.
The Lamu project is being developed with the involvement of Dangote and AFC.
Ruto’s visit to Lagos gives him an opportunity to tour an existing large-scale refining operation as Kenya prepares to develop its own refinery project.
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery, located in the Lekki area of Lagos, has a stated processing capacity of about 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day.
The refinery forms part of the wider Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals Complex, which Ruto toured during his visit.
