Obasanjo, Museveni and Dangote Speak at Kenya Refinery Groundbreaking
At the groundbreaking of Dangote’s proposed 700,000-barrels-per-day refinery and petrochemicals project in Lamu, Kenya, Olusegun Obasanjo recalled how Nigeria’s backward-integration policy helped push Dangote from cement importation into local manufacturing. Obasanjo said he tied cement import permits to local production after Dangote argued that manufacturing had to be made as easy as importing. He described the resulting cement plants as nationally important projects and said their success gave Dangote the confidence to attempt the Lekki refinery. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni praised the project as a move away from Africa’s long dependence on raw-material exports. He also stressed the need for regional industrial development and jobs across East Africa. Dangote said the Kenya refinery project is expected to create jobs and include an academy for engineering graduates. Kenyan President William Ruto pledged government support and warned against attempts to frustrate the project through extortion or frivolous disputes.
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