East Africa’s refinery battle deepens as Tanzania's leader woos Dangote amid interest in Kenya

• Tanzania and Kenya are emerging as leading contenders for a proposed multibillion-dollar oil refinery backed by Dangote Group.
• President Samia Suluhu Hassan held investment talks with Aliko Dangote amid growing regional competition over the project’s location.
• Kenyan President William Ruto has endorsed Tanzania’s Tanga port, while Dangote reportedly favours Mombasa for its logistics advantages.
• The refinery and the East African Crude Oil Pipeline could reshape fuel supply, trade and energy security across East Africa.

The meeting at Tanzania’s State House comes amid growing regional debate over whether the refinery will be built in Tanga, Tanzania, or Mombasa, Kenya. The project is expected to attract billions of dollars in private investment, although no official figure has yet been disclosed.

Earlier this month, William Ruto told Tanzania’s Parliament in Dodoma that the Port of Tanga was a strong contender for the refinery because of its strategic position and regional trade links. However, he noted that the final decision would rest with investors led by Dangote.

In comments published by the Financial Times on Sunday, May 10, 2026, Dangote reportedly said he was leaning towards Mombasa, citing the Kenyan city’s deep-water port, stronger logistics network and rising regional fuel demand.

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The proposed refinery is expected to process crude oil from producers in Uganda and Kenya, as well as imported crude, for distribution across East Africa.

Analysts say the facility could reduce the region’s dependence on imported petroleum products from the Middle East and improve long-term energy security.

The discussions also come as Tanzania and Uganda move closer to completing the East African Crude Oil Pipeline, which stretches from Uganda’s Hoima oil fields to the port of Chongoleani in Tanzania’s Tanga region.

Uganda’s Hoima fields are projected to produce about 230,000 barrels of oil per day once commercial production begins later this year.