Kenyan court lets Dangote's $16bn Lamu refinery go ahead while residents' case continues
A judge lifted an order that had frozen the site after finding the petitioners had cited the wrong plot of land. The case returns to court on 24 November.
Malindi — A Kenyan court has lifted a restriction on Aliko Dangote's planned $16 billion oil refinery in the Lamu archipelago, allowing the project to proceed while residents' challenge over land and the environment continues.
High Court Judge Jane Onyango made the ruling in Malindi on Wednesday, Nairametrics reports.
The ruling
- The judge found that the 133 residents who brought the case had cited the wrong land parcel, and lifted the earlier order on that basis.
- She allowed them to amend their petition to name the correct property.
- The case was adjourned to 24 November, when the amended petition will be heard and other interested parties may join.
- Their lawyer, George Wakahiu, told the court that about 700 more residents intend to join the suit.
The residents argue that the refinery threatens their property rights and that the developers have not shown they comply with environmental rules. They say Kenyan law requires environmental impact assessments and public consultation before major projects go ahead, particularly in Lamu, home to a UNESCO World Heritage site.
On 25 September, the Malindi Environment and Land Court had ordered that the contested property be kept as it was until this week's hearing. Dangote Group said at the time that preparations would continue within the order's limits.
The project
- A refinery designed to process 700,000 barrels of crude a day, the same size as Dangote's refinery in Lagos.
- Construction formally began on 30 September; the plant is expected to take 40 months to build, with commissioning targeted for 2030.
- Dangote has proposed that East African countries take a combined 30% stake. Kenya and Rwanda have expressed interest.
Two days before the ruling, Kenyan parliamentary leaders backed the project and pledged support for its share sale, according to Dangote Group.
The group's Lagos refinery, which is to be expanded to 1.4 million barrels a day, reported a net profit of $4.73 billion for the first nine months of this year.
Source: Nairametrics, reporting by Emmanuel Azubuike, 14 October 2026.
