Kenyan presidential candidate Patrick Osoi has cautioned Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote against moving ahead with plans to establish a refinery in Kenya, insisting that the country should prioritise local businesses and domestic investment.
Osoi made the remarks during a campaign event, where he expressed confidence that Kenya could develop and manage its own refinery operations without depending on foreign investors.
The presidential hopeful said he expected to assume office in February next year and warned that Dangote might have to abandon his proposed investment if his administration came to power.
“I want to tell Dangote, please don’t hurry up to start the refinery because by next year February, the time I’m sworn in as the president of this country, you’ll be back going to Nigeria,” Osoi said.
He argued that Kenya already had refinery facilities capable of handling the country’s needs and that local entrepreneurs possessed the expertise and resources required to undertake such projects.
According to Osoi, strengthening domestic businesses and encouraging Kenyan investors to participate in major industrial projects would be central to his administration’s economic agenda if he wins the presidency.
He maintained that Kenya should maximise its existing industrial capacity rather than rely on foreign investors to develop critical infrastructure.
Dangote, Africa’s richest man, has built a major presence in the continent’s industrial sector, particularly through his investments in cement manufacturing, fertiliser production and petroleum refining in Nigeria.
His refinery project in Nigeria has attracted significant attention because of its potential to increase domestic fuel production and reduce the country’s dependence on imported petroleum products.
Osoi’s comments place the proposed Kenyan refinery investment within a broader debate about local industrial development, foreign investment and the role domestic businesses should play in strengthening African economies.
However, the presidential candidate’s remarks do not, on their own, establish whether Dangote has made a final investment decision on a refinery project in Kenya.
His proposal to prioritise local businesses is also contingent on winning the presidency and implementing the policies he has outlined during his campaign.
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