Tanzania blindsided as William Ruto announces Tanga oil refinery plan with Aliko Dangote
Tanzania was left in the dark over plans to construct a multi-billion-dollar oil refinery in Tanga, President Samia Suluhu Hassan has revealed, throwing a major regional energy proposal into uncertainty.
The surprise disclosure follows an announcement made in Nairobi last month by William Ruto alongside Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote, touting a joint East African refinery project.
But speaking on Monday, May 4, President Suluhu made it clear she had not approved — or even been formally briefed on — the plan.
“As we were speaking privately, I asked President Ruto to explain why he went ahead and announced a refinery project in Tanga while I was unaware of it. He now needs to explain to us why he made that announcement,” Suluhu said.
Her remarks cast immediate doubt on the status of the ambitious project and raised serious questions about coordination among East African leaders.
Ruto’s earlier claims contradicted
During the Kenya Mining Investment Conference and Expo in Nairobi on April 28, President Ruto had painted a very different picture — suggesting a united regional front.
“We have made the decision that we are going to do this together… so that we can have one big refinery here,” Ruto said, indicating cooperation with Tanzania and Uganda under President Yoweri Museveni.
However, Suluhu’s blunt rebuttal now contradicts that narrative, exposing apparent gaps in high-level consultations.
Ruto backtracks, shifts position
Following Suluhu’s public remarks, Ruto moved to clarify his position, acknowledging that his discussions had primarily been with Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni — not Tanzania.
Defending the proposal, he framed the refinery as a transformative regional investment.
“The building of a refinery is a big opportunity for business and industrialisation… it is my belief that whatever raw materials we have should be used for the industrialisation of our region,” Ruto said.
In a striking appeal, he added:
“The good people of Tanzania, you are lucky that we are discussing having a refinery in Tanga.”
Regional stakes sky-high
The project, backed by Aliko Dangote, is envisioned as a regional hub to process crude oil from East Africa, including Kenya’s Turkana reserves and Uganda’s oil fields.
With over 560 million barrels discovered in Kenya alone, the refinery could dramatically reshape the region’s energy landscape — cutting fuel costs, boosting industrialisation, and creating jobs.
Yet with Tanzania now publicly distancing itself from the plan, the future of the proposed Tanga refinery hangs in the balance.
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