Africa’s richest businessman, Aliko Dangote, has unveiled ambitious plans to build a massive 650,000-barrel-per-day oil refinery in Tanzania, a project that could reshape energy supply across East and Central Africa.
Dangote announced a high-level panel at the Africa Finance Corporation summit in Nairobi, where he revealed that the proposed Tanga refinery would mirror the scale and capacity of his landmark Lagos refinery.
“We are going to have a joint refinery in Tanga to benefit all of us,” Dangote said, before making an even bigger pledge.
“My commitment today here is that we will lead the refinery. We’ll make sure that refinery is built within the next four to five years.”
The proposed project is expected to process crude from several African producers, including the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan, positioning Tanzania as a potential refining hub for the region.
For many observers, the announcement signals something bigger than another infrastructure project.
It points to Dangote’s growing vision of building an African energy network less dependent on imported refined products.
“If they will support the refinery, we’ll build the identical one that we have in Nigeria,” he added, making clear the facility would replicate the 650,000 barrels per day Lagos refinery already reshaping fuel markets across the continent.
The move comes as Dangote’s Nigerian refinery continues expanding its footprint, with shipments of refined products already reaching multiple African countries.
He disclosed earlier this month that the Lagos facility had exported around 17 cargoes of gasoline across the continent, while also ramping up fertilizer production through its annual urea output of 3 million metric tonnes.
But even as the Lagos refinery scales up, Dangote revealed plans to go further, with expansion underway to raise its capacity from 650,000 barrels per day to 1.4 million barrels per day.
That expansion, backed by major financing support, would make the operation even more dominant in Africa’s energy landscape.
Now, the Tanzania project appears set to extend that influence eastward.
President William Ruto welcomed the plan, saying the Tanga refinery could serve crude producers across Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan and Congo, giving the project strong regional significance.
The timing is notable.
Many East African countries still depend heavily on imported refined petroleum, leaving them vulnerable to supply shocks and global price swings.
A refinery of this scale could alter that equation.
Beyond fuel, Dangote also said the expansion strategy includes boosting polypropylene production, adding another industrial layer to the broader vision.
For supporters, the Tanzania announcement reinforces Dangote’s push to build not just a refinery empire, but a continental supply chain designed to keep more value within Africa.
If delivered on schedule, the project could become one of the biggest energy investments East Africa has seen in decades.
And for Dangote, it is another signal that his refinery ambitions are no longer just about Nigeria, but about transforming Africa’s energy future.
