Aliko Dangote Launches Kenya Oil Refinery Project Amid Local Land Protests

Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote has launched a new oil refinery project in Lamu, Kenya, which has sparked local land protests, according to reports from the Wall Street Journal, the BBC, and Reuters. The Wall Street Journal reported that the project aims to turn a pristine coastline into a major oil hub. [1]

Industrial technology firm Honeywell will assist in building the new facility, Reuters reported. The project represents a expansion of Dangote's industrial activities beyond Nigeria into East Africa. [1]

Dangote is the founder of the Dangote Group, a Nigerian multinational industrial conglomerate. The group is the largest conglomerate in West Africa, employing more than 30,000 people and generating revenues exceeding 4.1 billion dollars in 2017. [2]

Demonstrations have emerged in Lamu as local residents protest against the industrial development on the coast, the BBC reported. [1]