'This is normal for us in Africa,' Dangote dismisses court order halting Lamu oil refinery construction

Addressing an investor event in Nairobi on Tuesday, September 19, Dangote expressed confidence that the refinery project ‌would ⁠go ahead.

"I'm sure some of you must have seen one court (has) given an order that we shouldn't do any construction? I said no, no. This is normal for us in Africa. ... In fact, this is even small," he said.

"Anyone who wants to cause ​trouble, we are ready ​for them."

Earlier, Dangote Group said in a statement that activities at the Lamu site may be affected owing to the ruling, but reaffirmed that the court's decision had not halted the groundbreaking ceremony slated for Wednesday, September 30.

"The court has not halted the groundbreaking ceremony of the refinery at this stage. However, activities at the site may be affected by the ruling as ​both parties are required not to carry out activities until the case is heard on October 14," the statement read in part.

The Lamu refinery ⁠on Kenya's coast aims to replicate the success of Dangote's 700,000 bpd plant near Lagos, Nigeria's commercial capital.

The Lagos plant ​helped turn Nigeria from a major fuel importer into a growing ​exporter, but unlike Nigeria, ⁠Sub-Saharan Africa's biggest oil producer, Kenya currently has no commercial oil output.

Dangote has said he expects the Lamu refinery to cost $15 billion to $16 billion and hopes to complete it by 2030.

President William Ruto, while touring the Dangote Refinery in Lekki, Lagos State, Nigeria on September 25, also heaped praise on the project, saying that it is expected to improve fuel reliability and security while supporting industrialisation and creating about 60,000 jobs.

“This huge achievement is a testament to what African governments, investors and financial institutions can do together,” Ruto stated.

“What we are going to have, the power plant in Lamu will be actually double (the one in Nigeria) because we are going to produce about 1000 megawatts in Lamu out of petcoke and we'll have 500 megawatts to sell to the government of Kenya."

Dangote's remarks come hours after the Malindi Environment and Land Court ordered that the status quo on the land where the refinery will be built should be maintained until a hearing on October 14.

The lawsuit was filed ​by 133 residents of Chandavai, an area in Lamu County, who said ⁠the land is their ancestral heritage and ​that their families have lived and farmed there for generations.