Museveni Welcomes East African Oil Refinery Plan After Meeting Dangote

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has welcomed plans to build a major East African regional oil refinery following talks with Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote at Nakasero on May 17, 2026.

Museveni said Uganda supports the idea of a larger regional refinery because it would promote African integration, value addition, and shared economic growth across East Africa.

He stated that his government has always opposed exporting raw materials without processing them locally.

“From the very beginning, we have always opposed the export of raw materials without value addition,” Museveni said.

He explained that Uganda delayed oil production because the country first wanted to establish a refinery before exporting crude oil.

“That is why Uganda delayed oil production because we insisted on first having a refinery,” he added.

Museveni said exporting crude oil without refining it would deny African countries the full economic benefits from their natural resources.

“Without refining our oil, it would not make economic or strategic sense to simply export crude oil while others benefit from the finished products,” he stated.

Regional Refinery Gains Support

The meeting comes as East African leaders push for closer economic cooperation in the energy sector.

In April 2026, Kenyan President William Ruto announced that East African countries were discussing plans to build a joint oil refinery at Tanzania’s Tanga port.

Speaking at a business event in Nairobi attended by Dangote, Ruto said the region wanted to reduce dependence on global supply routes such as the Strait of Hormuz.

“We do not want to be held hostage any more by the Strait of Hormuz,” Ruto said.

“We do not want to be held hostage by wars that are started by other people. We have our resources here, and we are saying we are going to use our African resources to industrialise our region,”he added.

Also Read: Dangote Targets More Investments in Tanzania After Meeting President Samia Suluhu

Dangote Prefers Kenya for Refinery Project

Dangote later revealed in an interview with the Financial Times that he is now leaning towards Kenya instead of Tanzania for the proposed refinery.

“I’m leaning more towards Mombasa because Mombasa has a much larger, deeper port,” Dangote said.

“Kenyans consume more. It’s a bigger economy,” he added.

The businessman also praised Ruto’s leadership on the matter, saying,“The ball is in the hands of President Ruto; whatever President Ruto says is what I’ll do.”

Dangote projected that the refinery could cost between $15 billion (Ksh 1.9 trillion) and $17 billion (Ksh 2.2 Trillion)

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Uganda to Continue Hoima Refinery

Even as Uganda supports the regional refinery initiative, Museveni said the country will continue developing its own refinery project in Hoima.

“I therefore welcomed the idea of a bigger regional refinery because our objective is African integration and shared prosperity,” Museveni said.

“We cannot continue operating in fragmented and weak markets. If East Africa works together, such projects become more viable and beneficial to our people,” he added.

“Uganda is ready to support the regional refinery initiative while also continuing with the development of our own refinery in Hoima,” Museveni concluded.

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President Samia Suluhu hosts Aliko Dangote at the State House,Dar es Salaam on May 16,2026 to discuss investments and economic growth
PHOTO/PCS