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By Spy Uganda
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has revealed that Uganda is ready to support the establishment of a major East African regional oil refinery following high-level discussions with African business magnate Aliko Dangote at Nakasero State Lodge.
In a statement shared on his official social media platforms, President Museveni said the meeting focused on plans for a regional refinery aimed at boosting value addition, industrialization, and economic integration across East Africa.
Museveni emphasized that Uganda has consistently opposed the export of raw materials without processing them locally, noting that this principle influenced the country’s decision to delay oil production until plans for a refinery were secured.
The President explained that exporting crude oil without refining it would deny Uganda and the region the full economic and strategic benefits that come with finished petroleum products.
“Without refining our oil, it would not make economic or strategic sense to simply export crude oil while others benefit from the finished products,” Museveni stated.
The proposed regional refinery, according to the President, aligns with Uganda’s long-standing vision of African integration and shared prosperity through stronger regional markets and joint infrastructure investments.
Museveni said East African countries must move away from operating as fragmented economies if they are to fully benefit from their natural resources and compete globally.
“I 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 noted.
The development comes at a time when Uganda is advancing preparations for commercial oil production while simultaneously pushing forward with the construction of its own refinery project in Hoima.
The President reaffirmed Uganda’s commitment to both initiatives, saying the country would continue developing the Hoima refinery while also supporting broader regional energy cooperation.
Analysts say a regional refinery could significantly reduce East Africa’s dependence on imported petroleum products, create thousands of jobs, stimulate industrial growth, and strengthen intra-African trade.
Dangote, whose business empire has invested heavily in oil refining and manufacturing across Africa, is widely regarded as one of the continent’s leading industrial investors. His involvement in discussions around a regional refinery is expected to spark renewed interest in East Africa’s energy and infrastructure sector.
, https://www.spyuganda.com/nakasero-meeting-dangote-museveni-push-multi-billion-regional-oil-refinery-to-end-fuel-imports/
