Kenyan Presidential Aspirant Vows to Halt Dangote’s $16bn Refinery Project

A Kenyan presidential aspirant and former Kenya Defence Forces soldier, Patrick Osoi, has vowed to stop Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote’s proposed $16 billion refinery project in Kenya if he wins the country’s 2027 presidential election.

Osoi argued that Kenyan investors should be given the opportunity to develop and operate the refinery, insisting that local entrepreneurs possess the resources and capacity to undertake the project without depending on foreign investors.

He made the remarks while addressing supporters of his political movement, where he criticised Dangote’s planned investment in Kenya’s petroleum sector.

“I want to tell Aliko Dangote, please don’t rush to start the refinery because when I’m sworn in as President of Kenya next year, you will be heading back to Nigeria,” Osoi said in a video shared online by A.M Media.

He maintained that Kenyan businesspeople and existing domestic refining facilities could handle the project, arguing that local participation should take precedence in a venture of such economic significance.

Osoi’s comments come amid growing controversy over Dangote’s proposed refinery in Lamu County, a project backed by Kenyan President William Ruto and expected to expand the country’s petroleum-processing capacity.

Dangote and Ruto attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the proposed project on September 30, 2026.

The refinery is projected to process up to 700,000 barrels of crude oil daily. Its proponents say the investment could generate employment, strengthen regional energy security and reduce East Africa’s dependence on imported petroleum products.

However, the project has faced opposition from sections of the local community, civil society organisations and opposition politicians over land ownership, compensation, environmental protection and transparency.

On September 28, 2026, 133 residents reportedly filed a legal challenge at the Environment and Land Court in Malindi, seeking to stop the development.

The residents alleged that the land earmarked for the project included ancestral properties occupied, cultivated and developed by their families for generations. They also raised concerns about compensation and the adequacy of proposed resettlement arrangements.

The dispute has intensified questions about whether affected communities were adequately consulted and whether their land rights were sufficiently protected before the project advanced.

Kenya’s government has defended the land arrangements. The country’s Lands Cabinet Secretary, Alice Wahome, said most of the land designated for the refinery was public property, adding that legitimate claims by landowners and occupants would be addressed.

Environmental concerns have also emerged, with civil society groups demanding greater disclosure of documents relating to the project’s regulatory approvals and compliance requirements.

On October 10, 2026, the Kenya News Agency reported that Save Lamu, a civil society organisation based in Lamu County, called on the government and the project’s promoters to make public documents demonstrating compliance with environmental regulations, legal requirements and public participation procedures.

The organisation raised concerns about the availability of project-specific environmental and social impact assessment documents, details of the relevant environmental licence and its conditions, as well as outstanding land compensation issues.

It warned that legal action could follow if the concerns were not adequately addressed.

Opposition figures have also called for greater transparency regarding the project’s financing and the extent of any proposed government investment or concessions.

On October 6, 2026, Jubilee Party leader Fred Matiang’i demanded the disclosure of details surrounding the refinery and other concessions, arguing that the government should provide answers to questions about projects attracting public scrutiny.

Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has similarly asked the Senate’s Energy Committee to provide information on the refinery’s approval, financing, procurement process, environmental implications, land arrangements and ownership structure.

While supporters of the project believe it could boost industrial development, create jobs and improve energy security across East Africa, critics insist that the anticipated economic benefits must not undermine the rights of local communities, environmental safeguards and public accountability.

The legal challenge and calls for greater transparency have added to the debate surrounding the refinery’s implementation, even as Dangote remains committed to the proposed investment.

Osoi’s declaration has introduced another dimension to the controversy, placing local ownership, economic sovereignty and the role of foreign investors at the centre of the debate over the proposed refinery.

His pledge to halt the project, however, remains a campaign position, with the refinery also facing questions over land rights, environmental compliance and public accountability.