The Dangote Group plans to generate 1,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity at its proposed refinery project in Lamu, Kenya, with half of the power expected to be sold to the Kenyan government. The group’s President, Aliko Dangote, disclosed this during a fireside chat at the Nairobi Securities Exchange on Tuesday, September 29, 2026.
According to him, the planned power plant will generate twice the electricity produced by the power facility at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Lekki, Lagos. The announcement comes as part of a broader project that includes a 700,000-barrel-per-day refinery, polypropylene and base oil production facilities, and the power plant itself.
Dangote Plans 500MW Power Supply for Kenya
Dangote explained that the proposed Lamu refinery would consume about 500MW of electricity, leaving another 500MW available for other uses. He said about 450MW would be required to operate the refinery, while an additional 50MW would be kept to accommodate fluctuations in power demand.
The remaining 500MW, he said, would be supplied to the Kenyan government under an agreement currently being negotiated. “We are doing 1,000 megawatts in Lamu. We don’t need up to 1,000MW; we’re going to take about 450MW. We’ll need 50MW for fluctuation or whatever, and for the remaining 500MW, we are signing an agreement with the Kenyan government to sell the 500MW,” Dangote stated.
He said the availability of additional electricity would make Lamu attractive to manufacturers and other businesses looking to establish operations in the area. Dangote noted that companies investing in Lamu would not need to spend heavily on their own power generation because of the additional capacity from the refinery project.
Lamu Refinery to Create Industrial Hub
The billionaire businessman said the refinery would serve as the centre of a wider industrial ecosystem, with other businesses expected to establish operations around the project. He disclosed that the development would require more than 60,000 workers and could attract businesses providing goods and services to the refinery and its workforce.
The Lamu project is expected to include a refinery, polypropylene and base oil production facilities, alongside the 1,000MW power plant. Dangote said the refinery would have a production capacity of 700,000 barrels per day and is expected to cost between $15 billion and $16 billion. The project is targeted for completion by 2030.
