President Yoweri Museveni has reaffirmed Uganda’s plans to build its own oil refinery, saying the country will proceed with the project despite new refining investments planned elsewhere in East Africa.
Museveni also said Uganda’s cooperation with Tanzania on the Tanga energy project remained in place, arguing that the region could accommodate multiple refineries as countries pursue industrialisation and value addition.
He made the remarks after attending the groundbreaking ceremony for the Dangote East Africa Petroleum Refinery in Kenya’s Lamu County, following an invitation from President William Ruto.
Museveni described the project as a sign of Africa’s shift towards processing its raw materials locally rather than exporting them.
He cited Nigerian industrialist Aliko Dangote as an example of the transformation needed on the continent, noting his journey from importing goods to building a major industrial enterprise.
“I am happy to see Africa waking up and moving away from the 70-year betrayal of exporting raw materials,” Museveni said.
Uganda plans to build a 60,000-barrel-per-day refinery at Kabaale in Hoima District, where the country’s commercial oil developments are located. The government has partnered with UAE-based Alpha MBM Investments on the proposed project.
The Dangote refinery, backed by an estimated $16 billion investment, is designed to process up to 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day, making it one of the largest refining projects on the continent.
Museveni said the presence of multiple refineries would not undermine regional cooperation, but could instead support larger markets and industrial growth.
“There is no harm in having more refineries in the region. What Africa needs is value addition, industrialisation and bigger integrated markets,” he said.
He also called for deeper political integration in East Africa, describing it as a strategic necessity for the region.
“East African political integration must ultimately be treated as a matter of strategic survival,” Museveni said.
