Kenya: Presidential Aspirant Vows to Stop Dangote’s $16bn Refinery, Send Nigerian Billionaire Home if Elected

Aformer Kenyan Defence Forces (KDF) soldier and presidential aspirant, Patrick Osoi, has threatened to halt the Dangote Refinery project in Kenya and send Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote back to Nigeria if he becomes president in the 2027 election.
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Osoi argued that Kenyan businesspeople should be given the opportunity to establish and operate the country’s proposed oil refinery, insisting that local investors have the capacity and resources to execute the project without relying on the Nigerian industrialist.

He made the remarks while addressing supporters of his political movement, as he outlined his position on Kenya’s proposed refinery and the role of domestic businesses in the country’s oil sector.

“I want to tell Aliko Dangote, please don’t rush to start the refinery because when I’m sworn in as President of Kenya next year, you will be heading back to Nigeria,” Osoi said in a video posted online by A.M Media.

“We Kenyans have businesspeople who can start the refinery. I want to tell Dangote, please, don’t hurry up to start the refinery, because by next year, February, the time I’m sworn in as the president of this country, you’ll be back going to Nigeria.

“Because we have Kenyan refineries which can do that job. We also have business people in this country who can do that job. That is what we stand for. And this is the home of our movement.”

Osoi’s threats come amid mounting political, legal and community controversies surrounding Dangote’s proposed multibillion-dollar oil refinery in Lamu County, a project backed by Kenyan President William Ruto and intended to strengthen the country’s petroleum-processing capacity and reduce reliance on imported fuel.

His declaration also places the proposed investment at the centre of a broader debate about local participation, foreign investment, land rights, transparency and who should benefit from major industrial projects in Kenya.

The controversy surrounding the refinery intensified after Dangote and Ruto attended its groundbreaking ceremony in Lamu on September 30, 2026.

The proposed East African refinery, estimated to cost about $16 billion, is expected to process up to 700,000 barrels of crude oil daily.

Project proponents say it will strengthen regional energy security, create jobs and reduce East Africa’s dependence on imported petroleum products.

However, the project has faced opposition from residents, civil society organisations and opposition politicians over land ownership, compensation, environmental safeguards and the lack of publicly available information about the agreement.

On September 28, 2026, 133 residents filed a legal challenge at the Environment and Land Court in Malindi, seeking to halt the development.

They alleged that land earmarked for the project included ancestral property their families had occupied, cultivated and developed for generations without adequate compensation or resettlement arrangements.

The dispute has raised questions about whether affected residents were properly consulted and whether their land rights were adequately addressed before the refinery project moved forward.

The Kenyan government, however, has defended the land arrangements. Lands Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome said the largest portion of the land designated for the development was public land, while maintaining that legitimate claims by landowners and occupants would be addressed.

The proposed refinery has also come under scrutiny from consumer-rights advocates and environmental campaigners.

On October 10, 2026, the Kenya News Agency reported that Save Lamu, a civil society organisation based in Lamu County, demanded that the government and Dangote’s project promoters publicly disclose documents demonstrating compliance with legal, environmental and public-participation requirements.

The group raised concerns about the absence of publicly available project-specific environmental and social impact assessment documentation, details of the relevant environmental licence and its conditions, as well as unresolved land-compensation issues.

It warned that legal action could follow if the concerns were not addressed.

Meanwhile, Kenyan opposition figures have demanded greater disclosure of the project’s financing arrangements and the extent of any proposed government investment.

On October 6, 2026, Jubilee Party leader Fred Matiang’i called for the disclosure of details surrounding the refinery and other concessions, arguing that the government should provide answers on projects attracting public scrutiny.

Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has also asked the Senate’s Energy Committee to provide information on the project’s approval, financing, procurement, environmental impact, land arrangements and ownership structure.

The project is intended to serve Kenya and the wider East African market, with supporters arguing that it could expand refining capacity, create employment and stimulate industrial development.

Kenyan, Dangote

Its critics, meanwhile, are demanding assurances that those benefits will not come at the expense of local communities, environmental protections or public accountability.

As the debate continues, the refinery faces the challenge of reconciling its regional economic ambitions with the legal, political and community concerns surrounding its construction.

The disputes have added uncertainty to the implementation of the project, although Dangote has maintained his commitment to the investment despite the legal challenges.

Osoi’s comments introduce another dimension to the debate, framing the refinery not only as an investment and energy-security initiative but also as a question of domestic business ownership and economic sovereignty.
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FG Sets to Hold MDAs to Measurable Performance Targets, Seeks End to Overlapping Regulations

The Federal Government is moving to hold Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to measurable performance targets, with a new framework designed to cut bureaucratic delays, eliminate overlapping regulatory demands and make government more responsive to businesses and investors.
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The Honourable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, announced this on Thursday at a strategic engagement with Heads of Agencies and senior government officials at the Federal Ministry of Finance headquarters in Abuja.

Oyedele said the next phase of Nigeria’s economic reforms must go beyond stabilising the economy to fixing the everyday frustrations businesses encounter in their dealings with government. He stressed that agencies must make it easier, not harder, for businesses to operate, invest and expand.

To achieve this, he called on agencies to remain within their statutory mandates and eliminate duplicate requirements, multiple fees and unnecessary procedures that increase the cost of doing business.

The Minister outlined a “One Government” approach under which MDAs would coordinate their activities rather than leave businesses and other applicants to navigate conflicting demands from different institutions. Where mandates overlap, he said, the goal should be one lead agency, one process and one fee.

Oyedele also urged agencies to consult stakeholders before introducing new regulations, assess the economic implications of proposed measures, coordinate with other relevant institutions and give reasonable notice before major policy or regulatory changes take effect.

On public finance, Oyedele directed agencies to remit all revenues due to the government promptly and in full, transfer operating surpluses to the Consolidated Revenue Fund and submit audited accounts as required by law.

He said agency performance would be judged by results, including how quickly services are delivered, whether published timelines are respected and whether regulatory processes become less costly for businesses.

The Minister made clear that the Ministry of Finance would be held to the same expectations, acknowledging that government must also tackle internal obstacles such as slow approvals, delayed releases and outdated rules.

Taiwo Oyedele

As a next step, the Ministry will review submissions from participating agencies and provide specific feedback within four to six weeks. The draft framework will then be circulated for further consultation, with each agency expected to agree to measurable commitments whose implementation will be reviewed periodically.

The initiative seeks to make public institutions more accountable for the quality and speed of their services, while creating a regulatory environment in which businesses can spend less time navigating government procedures and more time investing, expanding and creating jobs.

Efe Ovuakporie Head information and PR Unit 11th October, 2026
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Police Probe Shooting at NDC Secretariat as Man Sustains Gunshot Injury, Five Vehicles Damaged in Enugu

The Enugu State Police Command has ordered an investigation into an alleged shooting outside the secretariat of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Enugu, following reports that a man sustained a gunshot injury and five parked vehicles had their windscreens damaged.
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The command also said joint police and military operatives dispersed suspected NDC members who gathered in a disorderly manner at the entrance to Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, on Saturday, October 10, 2026.

In a press statement issued on Sunday, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Daniel Ndukwe, said the Commissioner of Police, Mamman Bitrus Giwa, had directed the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to identify and apprehend those responsible for the alleged shooting.

According to the police, the shooting occurred at about 2:30 p.m. on Saturday in front of the NDC secretariat, where unidentified armed hoodlums allegedly attacked the area.

The command said a man who was repairing a vehicle parked along the road sustained a suspected gunshot injury, while the windscreens of five parked vehicles were damaged.

“Upon receiving a distress report, Police operatives promptly moved to the scene, restored normalcy and rushed the injured victim to a hospital, where he is receiving treatment and is reported to be in stable condition,” the statement said.

The police did not identify the injured man in the statement.

However, SaharaReporters had earlier reported that a man identified as Nwolle Christopher was shot during an attack on supporters of the party’s Enugu governorship candidate, Sir Christian Chinyeaka Ohaa.

A source told SaharaReporters on Sunday that there were conflicting accounts about whether Christopher had died, with some people speculating that he was dead while others said he was still alive.

Police Give Account Of Airport Incident

The police also provided details of the earlier disturbance at the entrance to Akanu Ibiam International Airport, which occurred at about 11:30 a.m. on Saturday.

According to the command, preliminary findings indicated that airport authorities had restricted the number of party members allowed to enter the airport to receive their governorship candidate.

The restriction reportedly led to a misunderstanding among the party members, which escalated into a fight and prompted the intervention of joint police and military operatives.

“Preliminary findings indicate that airport authorities restricted the party members from entering the airport in large numbers to receive their governorship candidate. A misunderstanding reportedly arose among the party members and escalated into a fight, prompting the intervention of the joint security operatives,” the police said.

NDC Accuses Suspected Political Thugs Of Attacks

In its earlier account, the NDC accused suspected political thugs of attacking its supporters at the airport and later at Ohaa’s campaign office in the Government Reserved Area (GRA) of Enugu.

In a statement signed by Hon. Sampson Ukwu, media aide to the governorship candidate, the party said thousands of its members, supporters of the Obidient Movement and members of the Kwankwasiya group had gathered at the airport to welcome Ohaa when violence broke out.

The party alleged that airport security personnel prevented the supporters from entering the facility, after which suspected thugs attacked them in the presence of police officers and other security operatives.

It further alleged that the attackers assaulted supporters, damaged vehicles and that police officers fired tear gas and gunshots during the disturbance.

The NDC also reported that a party member, identified as Moses Arisi, sustained serious head injuries, while a journalist with Signature TV was allegedly assaulted and dispossessed of his phone.

According to the party, other journalists covering the event were also attacked.

Despite the disturbance, NDC supporters reportedly proceeded in a large convoy to Ohaa’s campaign office in GRA, where another gathering was taking place.

The party alleged that gunmen subsequently invaded the venue and opened fire, leaving several people injured.

Three members of the Kwankwasiya group were identified as Umar Abdulkarim, Muhammad Musa and Hassan Gora among those reportedly shot.

The NDC also alleged that another member was shot and left lying in a pool of blood before being taken to a hospital.

Earlier reports said the attackers arrived on a motorcycle, a Toyota Highlander SUV and a minibus before allegedly opening fire. Security personnel attached to the campaign train reportedly pursued them and recovered one of the motorcycles allegedly used in the operation, while the other assailants escaped.

Police

The party’s account also referred to an earlier attack at Obuoffia, Ohaa’s country home, where gunmen reportedly attacked an NDC meeting and left several members with gunshot injuries.

The allegations against the suspected attackers and the police had not been independently established in the information available.

Police Urge Political Parties To Avoid Violence

Reacting to the incidents, Commissioner of Police Giwa urged political parties and their supporters to refrain from violence and conduct their activities in accordance with the law and existing peace accords.

He also reaffirmed the command’s commitment to providing a level playing field for all political parties in the state.

The police commissioner urged political parties to notify the command of their planned activities to enable security agencies to make adequate arrangements.

Meanwhile, Ohaa and his deputy, Omeje Frank, maintained that the reported attacks would not deter the party from pursuing its ambition of winning the 2027 Enugu governorship election.

“No matter what they do, we shall go to the Lion Building (Government House) next year. Nothing will stop us,” Frank said.

Ohaa also called on elders and former governors of Enugu State to remind the incumbent administration of its responsibility to protect residents.

The governorship candidate said his campaign was focused on what he described as rescuing the state for its residents through an issue-based approach to governance.

He added: “We will not be intimidated. The NDC remains resolute. This is a Rescue Mission for Ndi Enugu, and it will succeed.”

The party called on the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services and other relevant security agencies to investigate the incidents, arrest those responsible and their alleged sponsors, and ensure they are brought to justice.

In its statement on Sunday, the police said the investigation into the alleged shooting at the NDC secretariat had been ordered, but did not announce any arrests.
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