A presidential candidate IN Kenya, Patrick Osoi has urged Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote not to rush plans to establish an oil refinery in Kenya, saying he would rely on local investors to execute the project if elected president next year.

Osoi made the remarks while addressing supporters at a Lions Movement event, where he argued that Kenya has business people with the capacity to develop a refinery without depending on the Nigerian industrialist.

The candidate declared that Dangote could be heading back to Nigeria after his inauguration, insisting that his proposed administration would prioritise local participation in major industrial projects.

His comments come amid plans by Dangote to invest 16 billion dollars in a refinery in Lamu, Kenya, with a proposed processing capacity of 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day.

The project is expected to serve Kenya and other East African countries, boost regional refining capacity and reduce dependence on imported petroleum products.

Dangote and Kenyan President William Ruto reportedly performed the groundbreaking ceremony on September 30, 2026, with construction expected to take about 40 months.

However, the proposed refinery has faced opposition from some local residents over land ownership, compensation and environmental concerns.

A Kenyan court has also ordered parties to maintain the status quo in a land dispute involving the project.

Although Osoi has advocated a locally financed alternative, he has yet to provide details on how his proposed administration would mobilise Kenyan investors to fund and develop a refinery of the planned scale.