Kenya is increasingly turning to India for key petroleum products as supplies from traditional Gulf sources decline, in a shift that could reshape the country’s fuel import market as plans for a major Dangote refinery in Kenya gather pace.
Data from Kpler and EOA show India has emerged as a major source of petrol, diesel, jet fuel and fuel oil for Kenya amid disruptions to fuel flows from West Asia.
The shift has been particularly pronounced in recent months, with Indian supplies rising as imports from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), previously one of Kenya’s dominant suppliers, have fallen sharply.
The UAE supplied roughly 90,000 barrels per day of petroleum products to Kenya in January, but the volumes had dropped to about 15,000 barrels per day by August, according to the data.
Energy CS Opiyo Wandayi during discussions with the High Commissioner of India to Kenya, Dr Adarsh Swaika, in Nairobi on June 19, 2026.
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Petroleum SD
Kenya has nevertheless maintained substantial overall fuel imports, with petroleum product inflows standing at about 200,000 barrels per day in July and 185,000 barrels per day in August, according to News18.
The figures suggest the Middle East disruptions have so far resulted more in a reorganisation of Kenya’s fuel sources than a major collapse in the amount of petroleum products entering the country.
Indian refiners have moved to fill part of the gap, with shipping data showing increased cargoes of refined products heading to Kenya.
About 60,000 tonnes of gasoline were shipped from India to Kenya in April, according to Vortexa data cited by Argus.
The growing role of India comes as Kenya seeks to secure alternative sources of petroleum products amid uncertainty over supplies from the Gulf, traditionally a major source of the country’s imported fuel.
The shift could, however, face a major change in the longer term as Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, moves ahead with plans for a Ksh2.59 trillion ($20 billion) refinery and petrochemical complex in Kenya.
Dangote is expected to break ground on the proposed project in September, with his group offering East African countries a 30 per cent equity stake.
Kenya has been offered a 10 per cent stake valued at Ksh64.74 billion ($500 million).
The planned refinery and additional port infrastructure are expected to cost Ksh2.59 trillion ($20 billion), while Dangote is separately expected to invest up to Ksh2.07 trillion ($16 billion) in the refinery, which is planned as a replica of his 700,000-barrel-per-day facility in Nigeria.
Dangote Oil Refinery in Nigeria, Africa’s largest, with an investment of Aliko Dangote.
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The Africa Report
