Dangote Plans 650,000bpd Refinery in East Africa, Seeks Regional Backing

Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has unveiled plans to establish a 650,000 barrels-per-day refinery in East Africa, in a move aimed at expanding his refining footprint beyond Nigeria and reducing the continent’s dependence on imported petroleum products.

Dangote made the disclosure on Thursday during a presidential panel at the Africa We Build Summit in Nairobi, organised by the Africa Finance Corporation, where he called for the support of East African governments to replicate the scale of his Lagos-based refinery.

He said his group was ready to deliver a similar project in the region if the necessary backing is provided.

“I can give commitment to the presidents here today that if they support the refinery, we will build the identical one that we have in Nigeria, a 650,000 barrels-per-day refinery. The discussions are still early, but it will work. There is nothing that can stop it,” Dangote said.

The proposal comes amid ongoing discussions involving Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania to develop a joint refining hub in the port city of Tanga, which is expected to process crude oil from across the region, including supplies from the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan.

Dangote expressed confidence in the feasibility of the project, citing his experience in delivering the 650,000bpd refinery in Lagos, widely regarded as Africa’s largest.

He further revealed that expansion works had already commenced in Nigeria to scale up refining capacity to 1.4 million barrels per day.

“We have already started piling for the expansion. We are building it to a scale of 1.4 million barrels per day. It will be the largest refinery globally,” he said, adding that the development would account for about 10 per cent of the United States’ refining capacity alongside significant petrochemical output.

The billionaire industrialist stressed the need for Africa to prioritise industrial self-sufficiency, warning that reliance on imports exposes economies to global price shocks.

“Look at what is happening today. If not for the local production of polypropylene in Nigeria, many businesses would have collapsed. In just 45 days, the price jumped from about $900 per tonne to nearly $3,000 per tonne. That tells you why we must build local capacity,” he said.

Dangote noted that improved financial capacity across Africa now makes large-scale industrial projects more feasible, compared to previous years when funding constraints posed major challenges.

“There was a time in Nigeria when interest rates were as high as 44 per cent. We had to rely on international institutions to raise funds for early projects. Today, the landscape has changed significantly,” he added.

He also disclosed plans to open up ownership of the refinery business to African investors, promising dollar-denominated returns.

“We want all Africans to invest. This is a continental asset, and we will be paying dividends in dollars,” he said.

On project timelines, Dangote said the proposed East African refinery could be delivered within four to five years once agreements are finalised with participating governments.

“My commitment is that if we agree with three or four governments in the region, we will lead the process and ensure that the refinery is built within the next four or five years,” he stated.

Earlier, William Ruto confirmed that talks were ongoing with Dangote and regional stakeholders on establishing the refinery in Tanga.

Dangote also announced plans to establish about 20 fertiliser blending plants across Africa by 2028, further expanding his industrial investments on the continent.

Energy experts say the proposed refinery, if realised, could significantly reshape Africa’s fuel supply chain, reduce import dependence, and strengthen regional energy security.

US-based Retired Veterans Honour Obi of Onitsha With U.S. County Key

There was a blend of tradition and quiet diplomacy in Onitsha, Anambra State, as two United States-based retired veterans, Chief Walter Chinedu Obi and Chief George Onyenyeonwu, visited the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe CFR, mni at his palace.

The visit, which drew a select audience of dignitaries, reflected the growing engagement between Nigerians in the diaspora and traditional institutions at home, particularly at a time when cultural identity and global partnerships are gaining renewed attention.

Among those who accompanied the visitors were a U.S.-based legal practitioner, Barrister Iyke Nwachukwu, and a community leader, Ichie Jeff Ukpo, alongside other stakeholders with ties to both Nigeria and the diaspora.

The atmosphere combined elements of ceremony and purpose, as the delegation was received with customary honours in keeping with the stature of the Onitsha monarch.

A major highlight of the visit was the presentation of the Prince George’s County Key to the monarch, a rare symbolic gesture signifying honour and recognition.

The key was presented on behalf of Aisha Braveboy, the County Executive of Prince George’s County, Maryland, United States, in what was described as a landmark moment in diaspora-traditional relations.

Speaking during the ceremony, members of the delegation emphasised that the honour was not only a recognition of the monarch’s leadership but also a reflection of the enduring cultural ties between Africa and its diaspora.

They stressed the importance of forging stronger partnerships between traditional rulers and diaspora communities, particularly in the areas of cultural preservation, youth development, and economic cooperation.

According to them, traditional institutions remain central to grassroots development and can serve as vital conduits for international collaboration and investment.

In his remarks, Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe CFR, mni expressed appreciation to the delegation and the government of Prince George’s County for the recognition.

The monarch noted that the gesture symbolises a renewed commitment to unity among Nigerians across borders and reaffirmed the importance of sustaining cultural identity.

He further called on Nigerians in the diaspora to remain actively engaged in national development, adding that their exposure and resources are critical to the country’s progress.

The visit is expected to strengthen ongoing conversations around diaspora inclusion, while also reinforcing the role of traditional leadership in advancing Nigeria’s global cultural and diplomatic footprint.

Reported by Boniface Ihiasota

Washington, DC Correspondent

Diaspora Watch Newspaper

Mali Defence Minister Killed in Suspected Suicide Bombing as Coordinated Attacks Rock Country

Fresh fears have gripped Mali’s fragile security landscape following reports that the country’s Defence Minister, Sadio Camara, was killed in an apparent suicide truck bombing that targeted his residence near the capital, Bamako.

Family sources and multiple international media reports said the deadly blast, which occurred in Kati—home to a major military base—also claimed the lives of at least three of the minister’s relatives, in what appears to be one of the most audacious attacks on Mali’s military leadership in recent years.

Although the country’s ruling junta has yet to officially confirm the minister’s death, the incident comes amid a wave of coordinated assaults across the West African nation by jihadist groups and separatist fighters, further exposing the deepening insecurity in the region.

Sources also disclosed that Mali’s junta leader, Assimi Goïta, was hurriedly moved to a secure location after his residence reportedly came under threat during the attacks, signalling the scale and precision of the offensive.

Security analysts say the attacks bear the hallmarks of extremist networks linked to al-Qaeda, particularly the group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin, which has intensified operations in Mali and neighbouring Sahel states.

The violence, which erupted simultaneously in several parts of the country, affected key locations including Kati, Gao, Kidal, Sevare and Mopti, underscoring what experts describe as a highly coordinated and strategic offensive.

Head of the Sahel programme at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Ulf Laessing, described the development as possibly the “largest coordinated jihadist attack on Mali for years,” highlighting the growing capacity of insurgent groups to strike multiple targets at once.

Compounding the crisis, the separatist Azawad Liberation Front claimed significant gains in the north, including an alleged takeover of Kidal, a long-contested stronghold of Tuareg rebels.

The group further revealed that Russian mercenaries operating under the Africa Corps had agreed to withdraw from Kidal following days of intense clashes, though Mali’s military authorities have yet to verify the claim.

A spokesman for the separatists, Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane, insisted that their forces had been preparing for the offensive for months, declaring that their next targets could include Gao and Timbuktu in a bid to consolidate control over northern territories.

However, Mali’s state broadcaster, ORTM, downplayed the extent of the damage, reporting that 16 people, including civilians and soldiers, were injured and that security forces had neutralised several attackers, while maintaining that the situation remained “under control.”

The military, in a statement, vowed that the attacks would “not go unanswered,” announcing a nationwide alert, intensified patrols and reinforced checkpoints as part of efforts to restore order.

Curfews have also been imposed in parts of the country, including Bamako, as authorities scramble to contain the fallout from the coordinated assaults.

International reactions have been swift, with UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemning the violence and expressing solidarity with the Malian people, while the Economic Community of West African States and the African Union voiced deep concern over the deteriorating security situation.

Mali, alongside Niger and Burkina Faso, had recently severed ties with ECOWAS following military coups, a move that has further complicated regional security cooperation.

For years, Mali has battled a complex insurgency involving jihadist groups and separatist movements seeking an independent Tuareg homeland, a crisis that has persisted despite the exit of French and UN forces and the subsequent engagement of Russian mercenaries.