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Dangote Group Plans 650,000bpd Refinery Project in East Africa

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Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has announced plans to build a 650,000 barrels-per-day refinery in East Africa, mirroring the scale of his flagship facility in Nigeria, as part of a broader push to deepen industrial capacity across the continent.

Dangote made the disclosure at a high-level summit in Nairobi on Thursday, where African leaders, financiers, and industry stakeholders gathered to discuss the continent’s growing energy and infrastructure needs.

Addressing Presidents William Ruto and Yoweri Museveni, Dangote said the refinery project would depend on strong government backing and policy consistency.

 

“That’s why, as a group, we have now launched an initiative where, between now and 2030, we’re investing $40 billion in various fields,” he said

“Even now, I can give a commitment to the two presidents who are here that if they support the refinery, we will build an identical one to what we have in Nigeria—650,000 barrels.”

He emphasised that the proposal is still at an early stage but expressed confidence in its feasibility.

When asked about the feasibility of the project, the industrialist said it will “definitely” work, adding that “There’s nothing that can stop it.”

Push for Self-Sufficiency

Dangote is Africa’s richest man.

 

Dangote used the platform to argue that Africa must move away from its long-standing dependence on imports and instead build domestic industrial capacity.

“We export raw materials, which means when you export raw materials, you are exporting jobs, and when you import, you are importing poverty because you are creating jobs out there, not here on the continent,” he said.

He stressed that industrialisation—particularly in refining, fertiliser production and petrochemicals—is critical to reversing that trend and creating jobs on the continent.

The proposed East African refinery forms part of a wider $40 billion investment plan by his group between now and 2030, targeting key sectors that underpin economic transformation.

Backdrop of Growing Fuel Deficit

Dangote’s announcement comes as the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) warned that the continent could face an 86 million tonne fuel shortfall by 2040.

According to the AFC report presented at the summit, Africa currently imports over 70 percent of its refined fuel and spends about $230 billion annually on essential imports, including fuel, food, and industrial goods.

The report projects that fuel import demand will rise from 74 million tonnes in 2023 to 86 million tonnes by 2040—equivalent to nearly three refineries the size of Dangote’s Lagos facility.

Leaders Call for Shift in Strategy

 

President William Ruto echoed Dangote’s position, warning that Africa must rethink its economic model.

“Our ambitions will remain unrealised if we continue to depend on external capital whose primary interest is securing raw materials,” Ruto said, adding: “We cannot continue to export raw materials and import finished products made from them.”

The summit also highlighted vulnerabilities in Africa’s energy systems, particularly exposure to global supply shocks and infrastructure gaps across the continent.

A Broader Industrial Vision

Beyond refining, Dangote pointed to ongoing efforts to scale fertiliser production and petrochemical capacity across Africa, including plans to expand urea output and establish blending plants in underserved regions.

“With the support of the government, there’s nothing that is impossible,” he said, expressing confidence that Africa can achieve self-sufficiency in key industrial inputs.

For Dangote, the refinery proposal represents a continuation of a larger vision—to reposition Africa from a net importer to a global industrial player.

“Let us not be scared… It is possible. Africans can do it,” he said.

As discussions continue, the proposed East Africa refinery could mark a significant step toward addressing the continent’s looming fuel deficit while advancing its long-term goal of economic independence.

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ADRON Homes Inaugurates New Ahpora Executives At Treasure Park & Gardens Phase 2 Extension

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Adron Homes has inaugurated new executives of the Adron Homes Property Owners and Residents Associations (AHPORA) for the Uptown and Downtown zones of Treasure Park & Gardens Phase 2 Extension, as part of efforts to strengthen the relationship between the company and residents.

 

The inauguration gives residents a platform to raise concerns, share ideas and engage with Adron Homes through elected representatives. The executives are expected to help monitor estate-related matters and ensure that issues affecting property owners receive attention.

 

L-R: Mrs. Augustina Chuks, Chairman uptown zone, Mrs Adenike Ajobo, MD Adron Homes, Sir, Aare Adetola EmmanuelKing KOF, Chairman/GCEO Adron Homes Properties Limited, HRH, Oba Peter Oluwole Ogunbayo, Otete III, Odemo of Isara Remo, Alhaji Akeem Segun Koletowo, Chairman, Downtown Zone at the inauguration and swearing in ceremony of Adron Homes & Property Owners & Residents Association (AHPORA) EXCOs of Treasure Park & Gardens Phase 2, Downtown Estate, Shimawa Ogun State, on Sunday, 18th October, 2026 held at the Event Ground of the Estate.

 

The event, hosted by Adron Homes on Sunday, October 18, 2026, at Downtown Estate, Simawa, had) HRH Alaiyeluwa Oba Peter Oluwole Ogunbayo (Otete III, Odemo of Isara Remo, as Royal Father of the Day.

In the Uptown Zone, Mrs. Augustina Chuks was inaugurated as Chairman, while Mrs. Ogunba-Ojo Hutawa Aderonke emerged as Secretary General. Hon. Mrs. Wale Fayemi and Mr. Lateef Eniola were represented at the ceremony by their daughter and wife, respectively. For the Downtown Zone, Alhaji Akeem Segun Koletowo was inaugurated as Chairman, with Mr. Alex O. Ohanwadi as Secretary General.

The Chairman/GCEO of Adron Group, Sir Aare Adetola Emmanuel King KOF, said the ceremony marked a new stage in the life of the estate, which residents had turned from unoccupied land into a thriving neighbourhood. “We are not simply inaugurating executives. We are acknowledging that Downtown Estate has reached another stage in its journey,” he said.

 

 

He explained that while a developer provides the framework, infrastructure and vision, the people who live in an estate ultimately determine its character. Residents and property owners, he said, are “not spectators” to its development. “You are the story,” he added.

Sir Aare Adetola charged the new executives to see their offices as a responsibility owed first to residents. He urged them to be leaders who “listen without losing direction, speak without creating unnecessary conflict, and disagree without destroying relationships.”

He described the estate’s reputation, peace, orderliness and the relationships among residents as assets that affect the value of everyone’s investment. “The success of an estate cannot be manufactured from the developer’s office. There must also be ownership from the people who live here,” he said.

Also speaking, the Managing Director, Adenike Ajobo, described the challenges Adron Homes has faced in the course of its growth as part of the process of building a stronger organisation.

She described Adron Homes as an unstoppable movement and called on homeowners, property investors and residents to unite under AHPORA. “The only thing we are clamouring for, agitating for, and campaigning for is for all of us to come together to grow our estate together through AHPORA,” she stated.

The new executives will be a link between residents and Adron Homes, communicating residents’ needs, following up on estate-related concerns and promoting accountability in matters concerning the estate.

A couple of home owners who pleaded anonymity, were recognised for their contributions to the security and upkeep of the estate.They donated a motorcycle and security gadgets for use by the estate’s security officials, to support their movement and strengthen patrols. They also supported the painting of the estate’s gate post.

Beyond the motorcycle and security gadgets, They also supported the estate’s security men, providing them foodstuff and additional security gadgets. Reflecting the important role residents can play in keeping an estate safe and well maintained.

Sir Aare Adetola expressed hope that when another set of leaders eventually takes their place, they will be able to say of the current executives: “They left Downtown better than they met it.”

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FG To Introduce Fuel Tax When Incomes Improve

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The Federal Government said it would introduce a fuel tax when the economy stabilises, and Nigerians’ incomes improve sufficiently to accommodate the additional cost.

 

Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, who made the disclosure, said revenue from the levy would support road infrastructure and the development of a fuel reserve to cushion future price shocks, stressing that implementation would require a ministerial order published in the Official Gazette.

Oyedele spoke during an interview on the sidelines of the 2026 International Monetary Fund and World Bank annual meetings in Bangkok, Thailand.

His comments come against the background of previous resistance by organised labour and business groups to the five per cent surcharge on chargeable fossil fuel products provided for in Nigeria’s tax framework. Its commencement remains subject to an order by the finance minister.

He said introducing the tax while petrol was subsidised would have been counterproductive because the government would effectively have paid the charge itself. Imposing it immediately after subsidy removal, he added, would have placed additional pressure on Nigerians.

“The objective should be that instead of trying to suppress prices, which hasn’t worked for us, it hasn’t worked for any country in the world, not one. Instead of trying to suppress prices, think about how to grow income faster than prices rise.

“That’s how you bring prosperity and grow the middle class and that is exactly what we are doing as led by Mr. President himself.

“At the appropriate time, when the economy has stabilised and income level will be able to accommodate it, those taxes will come. Not because we want to impose taxes,” Oyedele said.

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Trade Fair Board Backs NAFDAC Crackdown

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The Lagos International Trade Fair Complex Management Board (LITFCMB) has condemned the use of its facility for the production of counterfeit products and other illegal activities, pledging to work with regulatory and law enforcement agencies to rid the complex of such practice

 

The board also commended the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for its recent enforcement operation, which led to the arrest of two persons allegedly linked to the illegal revalidation of expired drinks and the production of counterfeit consumables within the complex.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of LITFCMB, Veronica Safiya Ndanusa, said the activities were contrary to the board’s commitment to promoting legitimate trade and ethical business practices.

She disclosed that relevant authorities had commenced investigations to establish the facts surrounding the incident and identify measures to prevent a recurrence.

Ndanusa warned that individuals and businesses found culpable of engaging in activities that endanger public health or undermine the integrity of local manufacturing would face the full weight of the law.

“As a body rooted in the principles of ethical business practices, transparency and genuine trade, we strongly condemn any activity that threatens public safety or brings the reputation of the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex Management Board into disrepute,” she said.

“Our facility exists to provide a conducive environment for legitimate businesses to thrive, not to serve as a breeding ground for the production or distribution of counterfeit and substandard products.”

The board chief assured members of the public that the management would collaborate with relevant regulatory and law enforcement agencies to ensure that the complex remained free of illegal activities.

She also urged traders and business operators within the facility to comply with established standards, stressing that the pursuit of profit must never come at the expense of consumers’ health and safety.

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