Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote has selected US-based Honeywell Technologies to provide engineering services, technology and equipment for his planned $16 billion refinery in Kenya, the company said on Wednesday.
- Aliko Dangote has enlisted Honeywell Technologies to provide engineering and technology for his ambitious $16 billion refinery project in Kenya.
- The Kenyan refinery, designed for 700,000 barrels per day, will benefit from Honeywell’s experience with Dangote’s Nigerian refinery, potentially cutting the timeline by two years.
- The project has encountered opposition from local landowners and environmentalists due to land and ecological concerns.
- Honeywell is also helping to double the capacity of Dangote’s Nigerian refinery, leveraging established engineering designs to accelerate Kenya’s development.
Honeywell will work on the 700,000-barrel-per-day refinery under a contract estimated at $300 million. The company said its previous work with Dangote’s refinery in Nigeria will help shorten the development timeline for the Kenyan project.
Dangote and Kenyan President William Ruto broke ground on the refinery in Lamu County on Wednesday. The project has faced legal challenges from local landowners and criticism from conservationists over its potential environmental and land impacts.
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Honeywell is already working with Dangote on upgrades to the Nigerian refinery, which are expected to increase its capacity to 1.4 million barrels per day. Honeywell said its established engineering designs from the Nigerian project could reduce the Kenyan refinery’s development schedule by nearly two years.
Supplying East Africa
The Kenyan refinery is expected to produce petrol, diesel and jet fuel for the domestic market, with additional supplies exported across East Africa.
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It will also have the flexibility to process different types of crude from multiple sources.
Dangote has also offered East African governments a combined 30% stake in the project. Kenya has been linked to a potential 10% stake, while Ethiopia and Rwanda have also expressed interest in participating.
