A Kenyan soldier, Patrick Osoi, has sparked controversy after reportedly threatening to send Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote back to Nigeria, claiming he would become Kenya’s president next year.
Osoi, identified as a member of the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), made the declaration in a statement directed at Dangote over plans to establish a refinery in Kenya.
“I want to tell Aliko Dangote, please don’t rush to start the refinery because, when I’m sworn in as President of Kenya next year, you will be heading back to Nigeria. We Kenyans have business people who can start the refinery,” Osoi said.
The soldier’s remarks suggest opposition to Dangote’s proposed refinery project in Kenya, arguing that local investors should be given the opportunity to develop the country’s refining capacity.
Dangote, Africa’s richest man and founder of the Dangote Group, operates the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Nigeria, one of the continent’s most ambitious industrial projects.
Osoi’s claim that he would assume Kenya’s presidency in 2027 has also drawn attention, as the country’s next general election is scheduled for that year.
His comments raise questions about the reception of foreign investment in Kenya, particularly in strategic sectors such as petroleum refining, where large-scale projects require substantial capital, technical expertise and long-term planning.
However, it remains unclear whether Osoi’s remarks represent any official position of the Kenya Defence Forces or the Kenyan government. His presidential claim should also be treated as a personal assertion, not an established political development.
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“I want to tell Aliko Dangote, please don’t rush to start the refinery because, when I’m sworn in as President of Kenya next year, you will be heading back to Nigeria. We Kenyans have business people who can start the refinery” — KDF Soldier Patrick Osoi https://t.co/9ttmdeiCys
— YabaLeftOnline (@yabaleftonline) October 12, 2026
