Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan met Nigerian businessman Aliko Dangote and his delegation at State House in Dar es Salaam on May 16, 2026, in talks that come amid growing regional competition over a proposed multi-billion-dollar oil refinery project in East Africa.
State House released brief information about the meeting, saying the discussions involved investment and economic cooperation between Tanzania and the Dangote Group, one of Africa’s largest industrial conglomerates.
The meeting comes just weeks after renewed debate surrounding Dangote’s reported interest in constructing a major oil refinery either in Tanzania or neighboring Kenya.
Earlier this year, reports indicated that Dangote was considering building a refinery capable of processing up to 650,000 barrels of oil per day in East Africa, with the project estimated to cost between $15 billion and $17 billion.
At first, Tanzania appeared to position itself strongly for the investment after discussions emerged around the possibility of constructing the refinery in the port city of Tanga.
The idea gained even more attention after Kenyan President William Ruto publicly stated that East African countries were discussing a joint refinery project in Tanga, Tanzania.
However, the issue later sparked political discussion after President Samia appeared to question why Tanzania had not been fully consulted before the announcement was publicly discussed.
Ruto later joked about the controversy during public remarks, comments that fueled wider debate across East Africa about regional competition, investment diplomacy and economic influence.
Days later, Dangote reportedly told the Financial Times that he was also considering Kenya’s coastal city of Mombasa for the refinery project, arguing that Kenya offered a larger consumer market and a major deep-water port.
His remarks triggered intense reactions online, particularly after some commentators claimed investors viewed Kenya as offering a more predictable environment for large-scale investment projects than Tanzania.
Despite the speculation, neither Tanzania nor Kenya has officially confirmed where the refinery would ultimately be built.
Dangote already has major business interests across Africa, including the massive Dangote Refinery in Nigeria, one of the largest oil refining facilities in the world.
Analysts say whichever country secures the refinery project could significantly strengthen its role in East Africa’s energy and industrial economy for decades.
Friday’s meeting between Samia and Dangote is therefore likely to intensify attention around the future of the proposed refinery and the broader economic rivalry between Dar es Salaam and Nairobi.
