Greenpeace Africa urges halt to Dangote refinery plan in Kenya

Greenpeace Africa called on 14 July 2026 for a halt to a proposed oil refinery project by Aliko Dangote in Kenya's coastal region, warning that it could damage the environment and local livelihoods.

The refinery is planned for Lamu port and would have a capacity of 700,000 barrels per day. Its location in Kenya was confirmed earlier in July after months of speculation that Tanzania could host the project. The project is expected to take about 30 months to build.

Greenpeace Africa said the refinery threatens one of East Africa's fragile coastal ecosystems and would deepen Kenya's reliance on fossil fuels. Sherelee Odayar, the group's oil and gas campaigner, said approvals should not proceed without a full independent environmental and social impact assessment, public participation and transparent scrutiny of economic, health and ecological risks.

The group said the project could cause habitat destruction, marine degradation, oil spill risk and dangerous air pollution. It said Lamu's mangroves, coral reefs and seagrass beds support fisheries, livelihoods and coastal protection.

Greenpeace Africa called for the $17-billion project to be suspended pending an independent environmental assessment before any approvals are granted.

Kenyan President William Ruto has praised the project and said it will create jobs. About 800,000 Kenyans enter the labour market each year, according to the World Bank.

Greenpeace Africa disputed the jobs argument, saying the refinery would create only temporary work while undermining existing livelihoods in fishing, tourism and small-scale local economies. The group also said the refinery could become a stranded asset as the world moves toward cleaner energy and could lock Kenya into decades of carbon-intensive development.

The source says questions remain about the project, including where it would get the oil it would refine and how it would be financed.