Lamu Governor Issa Timamy has urged the Dangote Group to give local youth priority in employment opportunities arising from the construction and eventual operation of the proposed Dangote East Africa Refinery. Speaking during the groundbreaking ceremony in Lamu, Timamy said the county had invested in equipping young people with practical skills that can enable them to participate in major infrastructure and industrial projects.
Lamu County offers free Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in areas including building and construction, plumbing, electrical installation, carpentry and joinery, and welding and metal fabrication. The planned refinery, with a projected capacity of 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day, is expected to form part of a wider industrial complex in Lamu and create employment and business opportunities along the LAPSSET Corridor. Government sources say the wider project is expected to generate up to 60,000 direct and indirect jobs.
TVET skills to support industrial jobs
The governor’s call highlights the importance of aligning local technical training with emerging industrial opportunities. Young people trained in construction, welding, electrical installation, plumbing and other technical trades could potentially participate in different stages of the project’s construction and related economic activities. The project developer has also indicated plans to establish an engineering training school in Lamu, aimed at preparing local talent for opportunities associated with the refinery and wider industrial development.
Timamy said the refinery could transform economic activity in Lamu by attracting workers, investors and businesses while increasing demand for housing, transport, food and other services.
Sh2.2 trillion industrial project
The refinery is estimated at about Sh2.2 trillion, with the facility planned for the Magogoni area of Lamu County. The project is designed to process up to 700,000 barrels of crude oil daily and is expected to strengthen industrial activity and create opportunities across energy, manufacturing, logistics and related sectors. Dangote Group Chairman Aliko Dangote said the project is expected to be commissioned within about 40 months of its launch.
He said more than 110 pieces of equipment were already available at the site, with hundreds more expected as construction progresses.
The project is also expected to increase activity at Lamu Port, which is positioned along the LAPSSET Corridor linking Kenya with neighbouring countries.
Local skills could unlock opportunities
For Lamu’s young people, the project presents potential opportunities beyond direct employment at the refinery.
The construction and operation of a large industrial facility is expected to create demand for skilled workers, suppliers, transport services, accommodation, food businesses and other enterprises. This makes technical and vocational training an important pathway for young people seeking to benefit from the emerging economic opportunities.
The emphasis on welding, fabrication, electrical work, plumbing, construction and other technical skills also demonstrates the importance of equipping TVET graduates with competencies that match industry requirements.
Land concerns remain
The refinery project has also faced concerns from a section of Lamu residents over land and compensation. Some residents have raised concerns about possible displacement from land they consider ancestral property and have called for clarity on compensation and community benefits. The Malindi Environment and Land Court has ordered parties to maintain the status quo on LR No. 13061 in the Hindi/Manda Magogoni area pending an inter partes hearing scheduled for October 14, 2026. The court did not stop the groundbreaking of the wider project.
The concerns have raised issues of community participation, land rights and the distribution of economic benefits among the issues surrounding the project’s development.
Lamu positioned for industrial growth
The refinery forms part of broader plans to position Lamu as an industrial, energy and logistics hub through the LAPSSET Corridor. The Government expects the project to stimulate investment and employment while opening opportunities for young people and businesses in Lamu and other parts of Kenya.
For local youth, access to relevant technical training, certification and industry-linked opportunities will be important in ensuring that the economic benefits of the project translate into meaningful employment and enterprise opportunities within the community.