Africa's richest man, Aliko Dangote, through Dangote Group, is set to build a major 700,000-barrels-per-day (bpd) oil refinery in Lamu, Kenya, a move described as a significant boost for East Africa.

• The project is estimated to cost nearly Sh2.2 trillion.
• The refinery will be built by Dangote Industries Limited, a subsidiary of Dangote Group.
• The site was chosen over Tanzania due to Kenya's superior infrastructure and market considerations, and construction is expected to take three to five years.

Tractors and heavy machinery have begun clearing a section of Ngong Road Forest to make way for a new road, despite significant opposition from conservationists.

• Two-thirds of the original Ngong Road Forest has already been lost due to past developments.
• Conservation groups like the Green Belt Movement and Friends of Nairobi Forests and Green Spaces are raising alarms about this pattern of development encroaching on protected areas.
• Conservationists emphasize that mature forests provide irreplaceable ecological services that cannot be replicated by planting new seedlings.

Economist David Ndii has revealed that the planned Ksh2.2 trillion East African oil refinery in Lamu will be developed as a broader petrochemical complex, significantly increasing its value addition.

• The complex is projected to add at least 50 per cent more value than a standalone refinery by producing raw materials for plastics, packaging, construction, and consumer goods industries.
• Key person involved: Economist David Ndii.
• The project is expected to boost Lamu County's GDP by approximately Ksh322.9 billion ($2.5 billion).