Land Disputes and Public Participation Concerns Cloud Dangote’s Lamu Refinery Project

The planned Sh2.2 trillion Dangote East Africa Petroleum Refinery in Lamu County is facing opposition from residents over land ownership, compensation, environmental concerns and public participation.

Some residents have filed a case at the Malindi Environment and Land Court challenging the project and demanding fair compensation for their land. The court has ordered that the status quo be maintained on the disputed land pending a hearing scheduled for October 14.

There are also concerns about whether all the necessary environmental approvals and meaningful public participation were completed before the project began. The National Environment Management Authority requires an Environmental Impact Assessment licence before a project commences.The controversy echoes previous stalled projects in Lamu, including the Sh260 billion Lamu Coal Power Plant and the Sh22 billion Baharini Wind Power project, which faced opposition over environmental and community concerns.

Despite the resistance, President William Ruto attended the refinery’s groundbreaking ceremony alongside billionaire Aliko Dangote. The President defended the project, saying it would create jobs, strengthen regional energy security and support local industries by reducing reliance on imported petroleum products.

The refinery is expected to create about 60,000 jobs and process up to 700,000 barrels of crude oil daily, according to the project plans. However, concerns over land rights, environmental protection and public participation remain central to the project’s future.