Mombasa, Lamu, or Tanga? Dangote’s $20B Decision Starts Now

Añadido: 2026-05-12

[00:00:01]We do not want to be held hostage anymore. Those were the heavy-hitting words from President William Rudo this week as he stood next to Africa's richest man, Aliko Dangote. We've been hearing rumors for months, but now it's official. Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania have agreed to build a massive [music] East African refinery, and they want Dangote to lead the charge. But here's the twist. While many thought the location was set in stone, [music] Rudo just threw the doors wide open. Will it be Mombasa, Lamu or Tanga? Today we break down RO's master plan to industrialize East Africa using African resources. Why now? President Rud was very clear. He stated that East Africa can no longer afford to be held hostage by the state of Hormuz or wars started by other people that [music] disrupt global oil supplies. The goal is simple.

[00:00:55]Use African resources [music] to industrialize the region. By building this refinery estimated to cost between $16 billion [music] and 20 billion, the region aims to take full control of its fuel [music] products. This is where it gets interesting. Originally, [music] the crude oil pipeline was headed to Tanga, Tanzania, making it the logical choice.

[00:01:18]However, RTO revealed that the final decision lies with the investors. He mentioned three specific [music] candidates. Tanga, the original frontr runner due to the pipeline. Mombasa, the region's [music] most established port.

[00:01:33]Lamu, part of the massive lapset corridor project. Rud's stance, we will not dictate to Aliko Dangote and the investors. He's letting the private sector find the most suitable location to ensure the project is actually viable. But this [music] isn't just a private project. RT made a bold promise.

[00:01:52]The governments [music] will invest alongside Dangote. Why? To derisk the investment. R is committing resources from Kenya's National Infrastructure Fund. He wants the government to share in the profits while ensuring the project is costeffective for the private sector. It's a public private partnership PPP model that he's also applying to a new $ 1.5 billion airport in Nairobi where the government is offering to put up 20% of the capital.

[00:02:21]This isn't just about oil. It's about a new era of African transformation driven by African capital. R is inviting the business people in the room to stop being tourists and start being partners.

[00:02:34]If Dango chooses Kenya, it could be the biggest economic win of the decade for RTO. If it stays in Tangga, it's a win for regional integration. Either way, the Dangote effect is officially coming to East Africa. What's your pick?

[00:02:49]Mombasa, Lamu, or Tanga? Let us know in the comments. Don't forget to like and subscribe for more deep dives into Africa's biggest moves.

[00:02:59]>> We work with the private sector. We want the private sector to develop confidence. We now have an opportunity and I want to talk to the private private sector people who are sitting here. I hope um my good friend Aligodo Dangote is in the room or right there.

[00:03:18]We have an infrastructure project for the development of an East African refinery.

[00:03:28]Dangod tells me that is going to cost anywhere between $16 billion and $20 billion.

[00:03:37]That East African facility, East African refinery facility is an investment that the government of Kenya, the government of Uganda, the government of uh Tanzania, we have agreed that we want to develop a facility that is going to um assist us with our fuel products.

[00:04:05]We do not want to be held hostage anymore by the state of Amoose.

[00:04:11]We do not want to be held hostage by wars that are started by other people.

[00:04:17]We have our own resources here and we are saying we are going to use our African resources to industrialize our region.

[00:04:30]And that is why we have asked Ali Kodangote here to do a research. We have the port of Tanga. We have the port of Mombasa. We have the port of Lamu and the rest in between. Wherever they will find the most suitable location from our perspective because the crude pipeline was going to Tanga, we thought that is the best location. But we will not dictate to Aliko Dangote and the investors. But I want to also tell Aliko and all the other guys, you are not going to invest alone. Governments are also going to invest so that when you make the money, we also make the money.

[00:05:12]Right? And we are going to invest so that we can derisk that investment. I am going to use resources from my national infrastructure fund to invest in the refinery so that we can share in the profits that come and we can assist our private sector to derisk the investments they are going to put in these projects and make those projects viable and make them cost effective. Let me give you another opportunity. We are building uh a new airport in Nairobi. is going to cost us between around $1.5 billion.

[00:05:50]There's an opportunity for investment.

[00:05:52]Are there any business people in this room or or these are tourists?

[00:05:58]They are right here. Yes, I can see them here. So, there is an opportunity for you to invest with us. Government of Kenya is going to put in 20% bring the rest of the money. Let's build the airport and everybody makes money.

[00:06:11]Right? So, this is how we want to take things forward. That is how we are going to build public infrastructure. That is how we are going to use private public partnership to drive African transformation and that is what we are going to do going forward.

[00:06:28]>> I think uh what we need uh first of all is consistency in government policies.

[00:06:34]That's number one. and also the support of the governments here because I mean if you look at it really what we lack in uh Africa is quite a lot because we are a continent of imports and we are not really exporting much. We export uh raw materials >> which means when you export raw materials you are exporting jobs and when you import you are importing poverty because you are creating jobs out there not here in the continent.

[00:07:07]>> So I think with the support of the government that's nothing that is impossible and we some of us were really tired of seeing our continent going out there to be begging for anything. I mean if you remember at the beginning of the uh you know war between Ukraine and uh Russia uh the chairman of African Union that was president Makisal had to go and be begging for fertilizers and since that day I said okay fine by 2028 Africa will be self-sufficient in fertilizer and we are doing that we're opening 20 blending plants in areas where they don't have the capacity also we are going to be uh at 12 million tons of ura we are going to have massive potach and prospect from Congo Brazville and we believe we will satisfy most of the demands of Africa I mean you look at it today will