A Kenyan tribunal has dismissed a legal challenge against Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote’s proposed $16 billion oil refinery in Lamu, clearing a major legal hurdle for the ambitious project.
The case was filed by the Consumers Federation of Kenya (COFEK), which had asked the country’s Public-Private Partnerships Petition Committee to review and overturn approvals granted for the refinery.
The organisation also sought details of the Kenyan government’s proposed investment in the project, including its ownership structure, share allocation, payment arrangements and evidence of public consultation.
However, the tribunal ruled that COFEK failed to demonstrate that the proposed refinery qualified as a public-private partnership project. It consequently found no legal grounds to compel the disclosure of the requested documents.
The planned refinery, located in Lamu on Kenya’s Indian Ocean coastline, is expected to have a processing capacity of 700,000 barrels per day, matching the capacity of Dangote’s refinery in Nigeria.
Dangote has also offered regional governments a combined 30 per cent ownership stake in the proposed facility as part of efforts to attract regional investment.
The project is scheduled for completion in 2030 and is expected to strengthen East Africa’s energy supply, reduce reliance on imported petroleum products and support regional economic development.
The tribunal’s ruling marks an important development for the project as the Dangote Group continues preparations to expand its refining operations beyond Nigeria.
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