President William Ruto is expected to tour the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Lekki, Lagos, ahead of the groundbreaking of the planned refinery in Lamu.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

The Dangote Group confirmed the planned visit, saying its President, Aliko Dangote, would receive Ruto at the facility on Friday, September 25.

Ruto’s visit has been scheduled days before the two are expected to break ground for the proposed refinery in Lamu on Wednesday, September 30.

He announced on Monday, September 21, that Kenya was ready to begin the project after holding discussions with Dangote and Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) Chief Executive Officer Samaila Zubairu on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 81) in New York.

📌 What You Need to Know

The talks focused on financing arrangements and final preparations before work begins on the Lamu facility.

Ruto said the project is expected to contribute to energy security, increase local value addition and create more than 60,000 jobs.

“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.

In addition, the government has linked the refinery to wider economic opportunities and stronger regional supply chains.

Currently, plans indicate that the Ksh2.2 trillion facility will process 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day, aimed at increasing domestic output and reducing reliance on imported petroleum products.

The tour plans follow the award of a more than Ksh58 billion contract to an Indian state-owned engineering firm to provide project management and engineering services for the refinery and petrochemical complex in Lamu.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke