Ruto to Meet Dangote at UNGA Over Ksh2.2 Trillion Lamu Refinery

Ruto to Meet Dangote at UNGA Over Ksh2.2 Trillion Lamu Refinery

President William Ruto is set to meet Nigerian businessman Aliko Dangote in New York as Kenya seeks to advance plans for a Ksh2.2 trillion ($17 billion) oil refinery in Lamu County.

Ruto arrived in the United States on Saturday, September 19, 2026, ahead of the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), where he is expected to hold talks with global investors, business leaders and heads of government.

According to State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohamed, the planned Lamu refinery will feature prominently in Ruto’s investment engagements during the visit.

The President is scheduled to co-chair investment roundtables organised by the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) and the Global Africa Business Initiative (GABI), with Dangote expected to participate in discussions around the proposed refinery.

“The meeting will focus on the planned Ksh2.2 trillion ($17 billion) East Africa Refinery in Lamu, a 700,000-barrel-a-day project expected to create more than 60,000 jobs and strengthen regional energy security.”

The project is expected to have a processing capacity of 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day. The government has projected that the refinery could create more than 60,000 jobs while strengthening Kenya’s position in the regional energy and industrial sectors.

The proposed refinery is scheduled to break ground on September 30, 2026. Its development is expected to form part of Kenya’s wider strategy to attract large-scale private investment into infrastructure, energy and manufacturing.

The planned facility has also been linked to Kenya’s efforts to increase value addition within the petroleum sector and reduce reliance on imported refined petroleum products.

However, the project’s financing structure, investors and implementation arrangements remain key issues as the government works to move the proposal from planning to construction.

Ruto’s meeting with Dangote comes as Kenya continues to pursue partnerships with international investors to finance major infrastructure and industrial projects.

During the UNGA visit, the President is also expected to promote investment opportunities in manufacturing, agriculture, health, technology and infrastructure.

State House said the President would use the international forum to seek additional capital and partnerships aimed at expanding productive capacity and creating employment opportunities.

“President Ruto will use the platform to advance Kenya’s investment drive, unlock more African and global capital, and strengthen Africa’s role in shaping the global digital and AI economy.”

Artificial intelligence will also feature prominently in the President’s engagements. Ruto is expected to co-lead the AI Middle Powers Initiative with Finnish President Alexander Stubb.

The initiative seeks to bring countries together to combine computing resources, data and technical talent while developing national and regional artificial intelligence capabilities.

Kenya is also expected to advance the Africa Development Bank-backed AI 10 Billion Initiative, which seeks to mobilise up to $10 billion by 2035 for artificial intelligence investments across Africa.

“Kenya will also advance the Africa Development Bank-backed AI 10 Billion Initiative, which aims to mobilise up to $10 billion by 2035 for investment across Africa and to position the continent as a builder and producer across the AI value chain.”

The President’s programme will also include discussions on child online safety and artificial intelligence. Kenya is expected to join Spain, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia in signing a global declaration and roadmap on child online AI safety.

The Lamu refinery talks with Dangote will therefore form part of a broader investment agenda as Kenya seeks international financing and private-sector partnerships for major projects.

The outcome of the discussions could provide further clarity on the proposed refinery’s investment structure, implementation timeline and role in Kenya’s long-term energy strategy.

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Ruto to Meet Dangote at UNGA Over Ksh2.2 Trillion Lamu Refinery