President Museveni backs regional oil refineries, calls for East African Integration

What the report says

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has voiced support for a new 700,000-barrel-per-day oil refinery planned for Lamu, Kenya, and used the occasion to urge more refining capacity across East Africa. According to Watchdog Uganda, he said the project should complement intended refineries in Uganda and Tanzania and help the region move beyond exporting crude and other raw materials without adding value.

Museveni made the remarks during the groundbreaking ceremony in Mokowe, Lamu County, where he appeared alongside Kenyan President William Ruto, Nigerian businessman Aliko Dangote and other African leaders. He said Uganda still intends to build its own refinery for domestic use and for markets in interior parts of Africa, while also calling for follow-up discussions on a stalled refinery idea in Tanzania’s Tanga area.

The Ugandan president framed refining as part of a broader push for industrialisation and job creation. He argued that processing coffee, cotton, gold and oil locally would keep more income and employment in African economies. He also linked the refinery debate to East African integration, saying better coordination among neighbouring states would make it easier to share infrastructure, jobs and revenue.

Ruto described the Lamu project as a step toward energy security and regional industrial growth, while Dangote said the investment aimed to reduce Africa’s dependence on imported finished products. The project matters because it reflects a wider debate in East Africa over how countries can share value from natural resources while balancing national projects with regional cooperation.