President Museveni has endorsed plans for a proposed East African regional refinery championed by Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote, saying the project aligns with Uganda’s long-standing position against exporting raw materials without value addition.
The development happened on Sunday after Museveni met Dangote at Nakasero State Lodge.
After the meeting, Museveni said the discussions focused on the proposed refinery and the wider need for regional industrial cooperation.
“Today at Nakasero, I met Mr. Aliko Dangote and we discussed the proposed East African regional refinery,” Museveni said
The President said Uganda had deliberately delayed crude oil production because government wanted to first establish domestic refining capacity instead of exporting unprocessed crude.
“I informed him that from the very beginning, we have always opposed the export of raw materials without value addition. That is why Uganda delayed oil production because we insisted on first having a refinery,” he said.
“Without refining our oil, it would not make economic or strategic sense to simply export crude oil while others benefit from the finished products,” he added.
Museveni said Uganda welcomed the idea of a larger regional refinery because it supports the broader agenda of African integration and shared economic growth.
“I, therefore, welcomed the idea of a bigger regional refinery because our objective is African integration and shared prosperity. We cannot continue operating as fragmented and weak markets,” he said.
“If East Africa works together, such projects become more viable and beneficial to our people,” he added.
The latest development follows remarks by Dangote during the Africa We Build Summit in Kenya, where he pledged to establish a refinery in East Africa similar to the 650,000 barrels-per-day Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Lekki, Nigeria.
“I can give commitment to the two presidents that were here. If they will support the refinery, we’ll build the identical one that we have in Nigeria, 650,000 barrels,” Dangote said during the summit.
Dangote argued that Africa now has the financial institutions, expertise and confidence needed to undertake large industrial projects without overdependence on foreign players.
“There’s nothing that can stop it. We have done the one in Nigeria, and that’s why we are taking the bold move,” he said.
East Africa currently imports most of its refined petroleum products, mainly from the Middle East, exposing the region to supply disruptions and global price fluctuations.
Analysts say a regional refinery could reduce fuel import costs, strengthen energy security and support petrochemical industries across the region.
Uganda is already pursuing its own refinery project in Hoima District, with a planned capacity of 60,000 barrels per day. The project is being developed through a partnership between the Uganda National Oil Company and Alpha MBM Investments from the United Arab Emirates.
Museveni said Uganda would continue advancing the Hoima refinery alongside supporting the broader regional initiative.
“Uganda is ready to support the regional refinery initiative while also continuing with the development of our own refinery in Hoima,” he said.
The proposed regional refinery is expected to complement ongoing oil developments in Uganda, Tanzania, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo as East Africa positions itself as an emerging energy hub
