Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has confirmed that Kenya will launch construction of the proposed East Africa Refinery in Lamu on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. Kindiki said the government was holding regular meetings to coordinate preparations for the ceremony, which is expected to bring together President William Ruto, regional leaders, investors and members of the local community. Speaking from his office on Tuesday, September 22, Kindiki said officials were working on security, logistics and protocol arrangements ahead of the event.

“We are now putting up the final preparations to ensure that all the guests who come receive the right protocol reception, that the programme of the event is managed in accordance with the stature of this event, and that security and logistics are organised to the standards of this event,” Kindiki said.

The planned refinery is being developed by Nigerian industrialist Aliko Dangote and is expected to serve Kenya and the wider East African market. Kindiki said the facility would provide petrochemical refining services and support industrial activities in the region.

“It is going to provide petrochemical refinery services and industrial operations for this region,” he said.

Kindiki said President Ruto was expected to host several heads of state and government from the region during the launch. He added that residents of Lamu would also participate in the ceremony.

“We are expecting President William Ruto to host a number of heads of state and government from the region. We are also expecting the local community to be part of this launch, and the event is on course,” Kindiki said.

The September 30 date was also announced by Dangote Group chairman Aliko Dangote earlier this month. Reuters reported that Dangote confirmed the groundbreaking would take place on September 30 and said the refinery would supply refined petroleum products to Kenya and neighbouring countries.

The proposed refinery is designed to process up to 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day, according to government and project-related statements. If completed at the planned capacity, it would be the largest refinery in East Africa. The government has put the estimated investment at about KSh2.2 trillion, while State House has said the project could create more than 60,000 jobs. These figures are projections associated with the planned development rather than jobs or investment already realised. President Ruto said on September 14 that the refinery would also be linked to discussions on a possible crude oil pipeline from Turkana to Lamu.

“As part of that project of refinery in Lamu, we are discussing with Dangote a construction of a crude oil pipeline to Turkana for us to be able to unlock the oil that we have in Turkana,” Ruto said.

The refinery is expected to form part of Lamu’s wider development as an energy and logistics centre, with its location also linked to the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) corridor. With the groundbreaking now scheduled for September 30, government agencies are focusing on final preparations before construction of the proposed regional refinery begins.