The Port of Mombasa has received a 2,152-metric-tonne consignment of onshore drilling equipment for the Lokichar oil project in Turkana County. The equipment, which includes the GW70 Integrated Onshore Drilling Riga 1,500-horsepower unit, was shipped from Abu-Dhabi via Duqm Port in Oman. This development reaffirms the port's status as a gateway for energy and infrastructure investment in the region.
The Lokichar oil basin is estimated to hold 326 million barrels of recoverable oil, and the project aims to be fully operational by December 2026. The Lokichar crude oil project has transitioned into its commercial development phase, targeting first oil production by December 2026. This project is one of Kenya's most significant energy undertakings, with investments totalling about USD 6.1 billion.
Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Capt. William Ruto, stated that the arrival of the specialised cargo highlights the Port of Mombasa's growing role in facilitating strategic national projects. The equipment will be discharged, cleared, and transported to Turkana County as part of the broader logistics chain supporting Kenya's petroleum infrastructure development.
The Port of Mombasa is a critical trade lifeline that connects over 80 global ports to a vast landlocked hinterland. It serves as the starting point of the Northern Corridor, which links Kenya's coast to Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and South Sudan. The port's efficient handling of oversized and complex project cargo has made it an attractive gateway for investments in the energy, infrastructure, and extractive sectors.
The arrival of the onshore drilling rigs for Turkana oil wells coincides with the Dangote’s Lamu oil refinery project, which involves nearly 3,000 metric tonnes of equipment arriving at the Lamu sea port. The planned oil refinery in Lamu and the Turkana crude oil reserves are core anchors of the wider LAPSSET corridor project. This regional flagship project aims to provide transport and logistics infrastructure for seamless connectivity between Kenya, Ethiopia, and South Sudan.
The Lamu oil project, valued at USD 15 billion, is a joint venture between the Kenyan government and Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote. The project aims to make the Lamu archipelago a major regional energy and logistics hub. The Lamu refinery will process crude oil from Lokichar and other African sources, potentially turning Lamu into a regional energy logistics centre.
President William Ruto is expected to break ground for the Lamu oil refinery on September 30, 2026. Once completed, the refinery will be East and Central Africa’s largest, capable of processing up to 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day. The project is expected to reduce East Africa’s dependence on imported fuel and cut down costs.
Key points
- The Lokichar oil project is expected to be fully operational by December 2026, with investments totalling about USD 6.1 billion.
- The Lamu refinery project, valued at USD 15 billion, aims to make the Lamu archipelago a major regional energy and logistics hub.
- The Port of Mombasa has received a 2,152-metric-tonne consignment of onshore drilling equipment for the Lokichar oil project.
