LAMU, Kenya — Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote and Kenya’s President William Ruto broke ground on a $16 billion (£12 billion) oil refinery in Lamu on Kenya’s northern coast, despite protests by some residents seeking more compensation for land, BBC News reported.
When complete, the plant is expected to process 700,000 barrels of crude a day, making it East Africa’s largest industrial project by capacity and Kenya’s biggest infrastructure venture since independence. Leaders of Uganda, Ethiopia, Togo and Benin attended the ceremony. Dangote has offered regional governments a combined 30% stake, according to Reuters. He told the BBC protests were “games” by local marketers and international players and insisted the refinery would be ready by 2030.
Walid Ali, co-founder of the Save Lamu campaign, said the group wanted the environmental impact assessment and mitigation measures published, warning environmental concerns had been overlooked on past projects. Dangote said his Lekki refinery in Nigeria proved African-built mega-projects could succeed and that Lamu must prove they can be repeated.
Sources: BBC News
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