Kenya 2027: Aspirant Vows To Block Dangote’s $16bn Refinery

A Kenyan presidential aspirant, Patrick Osoi, has threatened to stop Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote’s proposed $16 billion refinery in Lamu if he wins the country’s 2027 election.

Osoi, a former Kenyan Defence Forces (KDF) soldier, insists that local investors can establish and operate the facility without relying on the Nigerian industrialist.

He made the declaration while addressing supporters of his Lions Movement, arguing that Kenyan entrepreneurs should take the lead in developing the country’s petroleum industry.

“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 circulated online.

He maintained that Kenyan businesspeople had the resources and capacity to undertake the project, although he did not outline how a government under his leadership would finance an alternative refinery.

“We Kenyans have businesspeople who can start the refinery. We also have businesspeople in this country who can do that job,” he said.

The declaration adds a political dimension to the debate over Dangote’s planned investment, which Kenyan President William Ruto has backed as a major industrial development project.

Dangote and Ruto attended the refinery’s groundbreaking ceremony in Mokowe, Lamu County, on September 30, 2026. The facility is expected to process up to 700,000 barrels of crude oil daily, making it one of the largest refining projects planned for the region.

The refinery forms part of Dangote’s wider push to expand his industrial investments beyond Nigeria. Project promoters expect it to supply petroleum products to Kenya and neighbouring countries, create employment and strengthen regional energy security.

However, disputes over land rights and transparency have complicated the project.

On September 28, the Malindi Environment and Land Court ordered parties to maintain the status quo on a disputed parcel in Lamu pending a hearing scheduled for October 14.

The case followed a challenge by 133 residents who claim ancestral rights to the land.

The residents have raised concerns about compensation, resettlement and the protection of homes, farms and other properties. Their claims have added to calls for greater scrutiny of the project’s land acquisition and environmental processes.

Political pressure has also mounted over the proposed investment’s financing and the Kenyan government’s potential stake. Opposition figures have demanded disclosure of the agreements and details of any public funds committed to the development.

Despite the controversy, Ruto’s administration has backed the refinery as a major industrial investment. The government says the project could expand Kenya’s refining capacity and create economic opportunities in Lamu and the wider region.

Osoi’s threat, if pursued as policy, would put him at odds with the government’s current investment plans. His remarks also raise questions about how a future administration would handle existing project commitments and attract investment while promoting local businesses.

He has yet to provide details of an alternative plan, including its financing, technical requirements or timeline. For now, the refinery faces both a legal challenge over land and a political debate over local participation in major industrial projects.