President William Ruto has announced that the planned East Africa Refinery in Lamu will create 60,000 jobs, saying the project will serve several countries in the region while opening up employment opportunities for Kenyan youth.

Speaking on Friday, July 10, 2026, during the disbursement of NYOTA funds, Ruto said the refinery will be a regional project serving Kenya, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

“Kenya sasa tutajenga refinery ya East Africa refinery hapa kwetu Lamu. Na pale tutahitaji vijana elfu sitini wa kufanya hiyo kazi,” Ruto said.

Ruto disclosed that he had held discussions with Nigerian billionaire investor Aliko Dangote, saying they had agreed on the regional scope of the refinery.

“Mimi nimeongea na mwekezaji ndugu yetu Aliko Dangote. Na tumekubaliana ya kwamba hiyo refinery ambayo sio ya Kenya peke yake, ni ya Ethiopia, South Sudan, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, mpaka DRC,” he said.

Ruto said the refinery will complement other ongoing government projects aimed at creating jobs for young people.

“Hiyo refinery itatupatia nafasi ya ajira ya vijana wetu. Hapa Talanta tuko na ajira ya vijana wetu. Sasa tumeanza ujenzi wa airport, tutakuwa na ajira ya vijana wetu,” he added.

National Infrastructure Fund

The President also announced that the government has successfully operationalised the National Infrastructure Fund, which now holds Ksh 350 billion to finance key development projects across the country.

“I can stand before the nation today, that now we have a National Infrastructure Fund. And today, we have 350 billion Kenya shillings in our National Infrastructure Fund,” Ruto said.

He said the fund will enable the government to confidently roll out investments in infrastructure, transport, logistics, energy and water projects, which he described as critical to Kenya’s long-term economic transformation.

“We can now with confidence face the future in matters to do with infrastructure development in Kenya, transport and logistics, our energy requirements, our water harvesting and irrigation, as I committed to the nation,” he said.