Yoweri Museveni has thrown his support behind a proposed East African regional refinery project championed by Aliko Dangote, signaling growing momentum for a multi-billion-dollar energy initiative aimed at strengthening regional integration and reducing dependence on imported fuel. The development followed talks between Museveni and Dangote at State Lodge Nakasero in Kampala, as reported by Reuters and ChimpReports.
Museveni said Uganda was ready to support the proposed refinery alongside its own Hoima refinery project, stressing that African countries must prioritise value addition rather than exporting raw materials. “We shall support Mr. Dangote, and we are ready to buy shares in the regional refinery because our goal is regional integration and industrial development,” Museveni said, according to ChimpReports.
The proposed refinery, estimated at between $15 billion and $17 billion, would be modelled after Nigeria’s 650,000-barrel-per-day Dangote Refinery and is expected to serve markets across Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, South Sudan, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and other East African economies. During the Africa We Build Summit in Nairobi, Kenyan President William Ruto also backed the initiative, saying the refinery could help shield the region from global fuel supply shocks and strengthen energy security.
Dangote said consultations are ongoing with regional governments over possible locations including Tanga, Mombasa, and Lamu, while promising that the refinery could be completed within four to five years if governments align behind the project. Analysts say the initiative reflects Africa’s growing push toward industrialisation, regional infrastructure integration, and energy self-sufficiency amid rising geopolitical and supply chain pressures in global oil markets.
