Ruto Promises Dangote Protection for $16B Refinery Project

On September 30, 2026, during the official flag-off of the $16 billion East African oil refinery in Lamu County, Kenyan President William Ruto assured Aliko Dangote, President of Dangote Industries Limited, that he would be protected from extortion and blackmail during the construction process. Ruto acknowledged Dangote's previous challenges in Kenya and pledged government support for the investment.

He stated, “Nobody is going to extort from you anything,” emphasizing that no one would benefit from blackmailing the system. This assurance came after Dangote revealed that a Kenyan court order had temporarily halted activities at the refinery site.

Despite this setback, Dangote expressed confidence in overcoming such legal challenges, recalling similar experiences in other African countries, including Senegal. The proposed refinery is designed to process 700,000 barrels of oil per day and is part of Dangote's broader expansion in energy and petrochemicals across Africa.