But how will the refinery be financed?

The refinery will not be funded by one bank or a single investor.

Instead, Dangote Industries will combine its own profits, borrowed money and money raised from investors to spread the cost and reduce financial risk.

The first source is cash flow.

Dangote Industries will use profits generated from its existing businesses, including cement, fertiliser, sugar and the Lagos refinery.

This means the company will use part of its own earnings instead of borrowing the entire amount.

The second source is bonds.

A bond is a way of borrowing money from investors instead of a bank.

Investors lend money to the company, and Dangote agrees to repay them with interest over a set period.

The third source is an Initial Public Offering (IPO) of the Lagos refinery.

This means Dangote will sell part of the refinery to investors through the stock market.

The money raised from selling those shares will help finance the Kenya project.

This is my honest review:-

1). Ambience: The atmosphere is great especially for a group of families or for team building activities. The grass lawns are well manicured creating a beautiful and relaxing environment. I would greatly recommend it for people who love outdoors dining.

The resort also offers playing facilities for kids: soccer, tyres and swings. They also have a well maintained swimming pool. The charges for swimming are Ksh 300 for adults and Ksh 200 for kids.

2). Affordability:-The charges for food, accommodation and facilities do not need one to break the bank. I found these to be within the range of other resorts of the same calibre.

3). Staff:- The staff are friendly and kind. They handle their interactions with customers in a professional way.

4). Food:- Overall, the food was great but there is need for improvement in preparation of the chicken which had a few tiny feathers. A bit more attention to food preparation would make an already pleasant experience even more enjoyable.

As a manager within the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) mental health services, she is carving out a path in a leadership arena where young, Black voices are still far too rare. In a recent conversation with Whownskenya.com, Dr. Elizabeth shared the story of her remarkable rise from Nairobi, her insights into the British healthcare system, and the delicate art of balancing a high-stakes career with family life.

Foundations in Nairobi and the JKUAT Launchpad

Dr. Elizabeth’s journey began in the heart of Kenya.

“I grew up and studied in Nairobi my whole life, I attended Moi Girls’ School Nairobi, which laid the initial groundwork,” she says.

With her sights set high, she enrolled at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) Main Campus. She has a Bsc Human Nutrition and Dietitics and an MSc and PhD in Public Health and Epidemiology. Looking back, she credits the university’s rigorous, hands-on philosophy for preparing her for the global stage.

“JKUAT really fueled my ambitions by providing practical learning, the focus on labs, workshops, and project-based coursework allowed me to take complex theories and apply them directly to real-world problems.”

“The university’s network also proved invaluable. Their industry ties and partnerships with local hospitals and research centers gave me crucial exposure through internships and fieldwork,” she notes.

“Access to such dedicated faculty, alumni, and peers offered the mentorship and collaboration I needed to move forward.”

Her academic performance soon opened doors in Europe.

“I was actually offered a chance to go to Germany with DAAD during my thesis period,” she tells WoK.

She adds: “However, I couldn’t take it because I was already working in the UK and had become well-established in my area of expertise there.”

Breaking Barriers in the UK NHS

Upon moving to the UK, Dr. Elizabeth quickly navigated the ranks of the NHS. While many immigrants encounter systemic hurdles, she describes her transition into management as a positive experience, thanks to a supportive professional culture.

“To be honest, I didn’t face significant challenges because the NHS is a very supportive institution,” she says.

“Choosing to lead in the mental health sector was a deliberate move, intended to challenge the status quo for minority professionals in the UK. It feels wonderful to occupy this space and support those coming up behind me,” Dr. Elizabeth shares.

She adds: “Many Black professionals in the UK are hesitant to step into leadership, often staying at entry-level roles for years despite their potential. I want to change that narrative.”

For her, management is about more than just administration; it’s about impact.

“Beyond the protocols, what truly drives me is the opportunity to empower patients, families, and clinicians with compassionate guidance and a clear path toward a healthier future.”

Healthcare Dynamics: Kenya vs. The UK

Her perspective from the UK has given her a unique vantage point on how Kenya’s medical sector might evolve, particularly regarding mental health and integrated care.

“It’s an exciting field, especially since there is currently less emphasis in Kenya on mental health and the multidisciplinary teamwork that involves all healthcare cadres,” she observes.

She notes that the British system thrives because every role is valued equally.

“In the UK, every healthcare professional is actively involved and respected. This collaboration ensures patients get the best possible care and recover faster. Specialization is also highly encouraged and appreciated.”

The Power of a Support System

Behind every successful leader is a solid foundation, and Dr. Elizabeth credits her drive to those closest to her. She notes that her greatest motivation comes from her husband, child, parents, and siblings, who have always pushed her to aim for the stars. Managing the demands of a healthcare career alongside motherhood is no easy feat, and she points to her husband as her primary pillar of support.

“Honestly, my husband is incredibly supportive, and that makes all the difference when balancing work and family, we work as a team so that neither of us has to shoulder it all alone.”

A Word to Aspiring Professionals

Dr. Elizabeth’s journey from Nairobi to the upper echelons of the NHS is a testament to the power of stepping outside one’s comfort zone. As our interview drew to a close, she shared an encouraging message for any young Kenyan eyeing international success:

“To everyone aspiring to enter these spaces: stay motivated. Go out there and achieve those goals. It is entirely possible.”

Jaswant Rai did not just take over the business empire of his late father Tarlochan Rai, he came in with the strategies that his father had used to build a multibillion empire.

Tarlochan migrated to the DRC (then Zaire) at a time of political volatility and acquired valuable coffee and tea estates from Belgian settlers who disposed of the same at low prices. Acquiring strategic assets and building an efficient machinery out of them has been a long held family strategy.

In this article, we tell you why it is difficult to compete against Jaswant Rai. This is not only in business, but also in sports where Rai funded Kabras Sugar RFC and Menengai Oilers have been giving opponents a hard time on the pitch.

1). Brutal vertical integration:- In the manufacturing field, the Rai Group produces its packaging for sugar, soap and water. This gives the company a tight control over costs while shielding it from disruptions that comes with outsourcing. Ultimately, this gives them a sustained competitive edge.

2). Operational excellence – The Rai Group is far much ahead of other industries in a game where efficiency wins. Their sugar machineries for example, run faster and are able to turn this into larger volume output. This also minimises the production costs.

Even on the roads, while other industries use old tractors that consume high fuel, the Rai Group uses trucks and turbo-charged Mahindra Haul Master, Mahindra 9200 tractors that move way faster and handle larger volumes of cane.

Have you ever realised that most of the tractors used by Rai Group are 4wd hence improving on haulage efficiency during rainy seasons?

3). The strategy of supply chain control: In the sugar industry, Rai has effectively integrated the entire value chain. By supplying farmers with inputs, offering extension support and making prompt payments for delivered cane, he wins over farmer loyalty and is assured of raw materials. It is for this reason that the zoning politics have always been a hot potato in the sugar industry.

4). Circular economy and revenue diversification: Rather than disposing by-products, Rai turns the waste into wealth. Molasses is processed into ethanol while bagasse is used to generate electricity. This diversification creates new revenue streams while cushioning the business in times of poor sugar prices.

5). Logistics optimization through backhauling:- Rai’s trucks ferry palm oil from Mombasa to factories in Nakuru and are then deployed to transport finished products back to Mombasa. The trucks rarely travel empty hence reducing transport costs and creating a significant cost advantage over competitors.

6). Value proposition strategy: The Menengai bar soap has over the years been a leader in the market despite not being aggressively marketed. And there is a reason for this – Menengai entered the market with a proposition that it is multipurpose and gentle on the skin. The word in the villages, mother-to-mother believed that Menengai also cured various ailments. When I was young, I remember my mother insisting on Menengai when sending me to the supermarket – she claimed it was long lasting (haiishi haraka) and so was the case for many other women. This is the reason the bar soap commands a big share of the market.

-The Rai empire was built by the family’s patriarch, Tarlochan Singh Rai who acquired valuable assets at throwaway prices in the wake of DRC’s independence.

-But following the death of Tarlochan, there was a fierce succession war that eventually split the family. And the rift was also geographical – Jaswant Rai took over the Kenyan market while his younger brother, Sarbjit built an empire in Uganda in the name of Sarrai Group.

-In 2023, the aggressive fight to take over Mumias Sugar Company served as a microcosm of a decade long feud. It is a matter that irked President William Ruto, as the siblings’ battle stood in the way of the state’s interests. Ruto’s infamous “mambo ni matatu” remark forced Jaswant to withdraw the barrage of lawsuits that had prevented Sarrai Group from taking over Mumias Sugar.

The Rai Empire

In the wake of independence in DRC, Tarlochan Singh Rai saw an opportunity in adversity. While Belgian settlers were fleeing the country amid the political volatility, he saw an opportunity to build a generational empire.

Tarlochan migrated from India to DRC (then Zaire) and acquired distressed agricultural assets. He bought tea and coffee estates – which were valuable assets at low prices. In the 1970s, he spread tentacles into Kenya by specialising in manufacturing of tea chests for his produce. He also ventured into the lucrative sawmilling industry.

Family 

Tarlochan Singh Rai was married to Sarjij Kaur Rai with whom he sired five sons named Tejpal (deceased), Jaswant, Jasbir, Sarbjit, and Iqbal Rai and two daughters Hertej Ashwin Oza and Daljit Kaur Han. Prior to his death in 2010, Tarlochan Rai had amassed a multi-billion shilling wealth portfolio with investments in various industries and close relations with the country’s ruling administrations. Jaswant Rai was left as his father’s will executor and chairman of the Rai Group.

Brutal fight for the multibillion estate

After their father’s death, Jasbir and Iqbal Rai teamed up with their mother against their brother Jaswant who held the chairman position of the group. He was additionally named the executor of their father’s will which was written in 1999. The late Sarjij Rai and her two sons were of the opinion that the will had been written in coercion and did not represent the true picture of the patriarch wishes. Jaswant on the other hand defended his father’s will saying that it stipulated that all his eight beneficiaries would receive a rightful stake in his wealth.

Court Cases

The late Sarjij Raj and her two sons went to court to demand that her son Jaswant and the Group’s board of directors be compelled to reveal all the board minutes, asset listing, and their father’s will. This is because they believed that Jaswant had excluded some of the properties from the will leaving his siblings receiving less than they should have received.

Most of the properties alleged to have been left out of the will are foreign companies and investments in which the late Tarlochan had shares. These include Cayman Islands situated Waterloo Ltd and Stonybrook Ltd, Jersey Island-based Rai Management and Technical Services Limited, and millions of dollars in London and New Delhi banks.

The court determined that the will’s validity would first need to be established before any further action would be taken.

Sarbjit Rai vs Jaswant Rai

Meanwhile, the feud forced Sarbjit Rai to break away from the family’s empire and chose to establish the Sarrai Group in Uganda. This rift exposed the family’s dark side when Sarrai Group and the West Kenya company fought for the Mumias Sugar lease.

The Sarrai Group won the lease, but Jaswant Rai did not want to lose out on the control of this strategic asset. He filed an avalanche of suits accusing his brother’s company of lack of a track record and stripping and vandalising of Mumias assets. He also said that he had submitted a larger bid of up to Ksh 36 billion.

While Jaswant Rai had long been portrayed as a man who could influence politics and even orchestrate some form of  ‘state capture,’ this time round, he was in for a rude awakening.

President William Ruto was reportedly angered by the flood of lawsuits which had stalled the government’s interests.

In a chilling remarked, he declared: “mambo ni matatu; uhame, nikupeleke jela au usafiri mbinguni.”

Following this cold remark, and a reported abduction of Jaswant Rai, he was forced to file notices to withdraw all pending cases.

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•Anshuur Hussein is a co-owner of Bluebird Aviation and revealed how they once successfully organised a secret mission to return the body of former Somalia ruler back home. Not even powerful government, or members of the security council knew that they had flown outside the country.

In January 1995, former Somalia ruler Siad Barre died while in exile in Lagos, Nigeria. But returning his body back home proved to be a significantly challenging task for the family.

Barre had ruled Somalia for over two decades before he was driven out of power in 1991. During his reign, there were reports of human rights abuses.

He initially fled to Kenya. However, pressure mounted from parliament and various human rights organisations made Barre’s stay to be short-lived. He eventually sought asylum in Nigeria where he stayed for four years before he succumbed to diabetes.

Two Kenyan pilots, Nigerian diplomats and a secret mission 

While Barre’s family sought the intervention of the Nigerian Air force to return the body home, the plan hit headwinds. They were told that the intended airstrip in Somalia had a small runway that couldn’t accommodate their military plane.

Given the Islamic traditions that require prompt interment, another plan had to be quickly devised and executed.

A Nigerian diplomat knocked on the door of Bluebird Aviation at Wilson Airport and informed the owners of the lucrative albeit risky deal. Captain Anshuur Hussein and Adan were told to secretly charter a flight to bring back the body – and not even government officials were supposed to know about it.

The risk was that the consequences would be dire if President Moi’s officials knew about it and it could lead to a diplomatic fallout.

“We knew immediately this wasn’t a normal charter…If the Kenyan authorities found out, it could have caused serious problems,” Anshuur told BBC.

However, the duo asked the diplomat to give them time to debate on it, promising feedback the following day. The mission was said to come with a generous financial reward, kind of a jackpot, though the exact figure remains under tight wraps.

Accepting the offer

The following day, the two pilots accepted the offer but on conditions that if anything went south, the Nigerian Government had to take responsibility. Additionally, they demanded to have two embassy officials on the flight.

On 11th January 1995, at around 3 am, the Beechcraft King Air B200 took off from Wilson Airport with the filed flight manifest indicating it was destined for Kisumu. When they got close to Kisumu, the pilots switched off the radar and took the direction to Entebbe, Uganda. Anshuur revealed that at the time, radar coverage across much of the region was limited, a gap the pilots knew they could exploit.

While in Entebbe, the two embassy officials were told not to disembark. The pilots told the airport officials that they had jetted from Kisumu and were on their way to Yaoundé. They refueled and resumed the journey. There was a brief stopover at Yaoundé before taking the route to Lagos.

Before entering the Nigerian air space, the pilots were advised by Nigerian government officials to use the Nigerian Air Force sign ‘WT 001′ to avoid any suspicion.

They arrived at 1 PM and met Barre’s family. Arrangements for a return trip were then organised and set for the following day. The following day, the casket was loaded on to the aircraft. Two Nigerian Government officials and six family members boarded the aircraft.

From the pilots’ perspective, secrecy was crucially important.

“At no point did we tell airport authorities in Cameroon, Uganda or Kenya that we were carrying a body,” Anshuur told BBC.

The aircraft retraced its route, stopping briefly in Yaoundé before flying to Entebbe, where it refuelled. While in Uganda, the authorities were deceived that the final destination was Kisumu in Kenya. However, the plane took the route to Garbaharey, southern Somalia.

The pilots attended the burial ceremony and returned back to Kenya. While at Wilson Airport, they said that they had returned from Mandera, giving the impression that it was a local flight.

“No-one asked questions, that’s when we knew we were safe,” Anshuur told BBC.

We caught up with him and bring you this story:-

Hello Chacha, kindly introduce yourself and talk about your background

I am Declark Chacha, a software engineer, founder, and CEO of Pamoja Nova, a platform designed to digitalize traditional funding processes in Kenya. I pursued a Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering at Kisii University though I dropped out in fourth year.

What problems does your app solve? Do you have any personal experiences that inspired you to create the app?

Pamojanova was designed to modernize traditional community finance systems by making them safer, more transparent, and easier to oversee. Its aim is to enable people to save, support each other, and raise funds confidently through technology.

Pamojanova assists individuals in managing Chamas, Welfare groups, and Mchango fundraisers with ease and security. It addresses the following problems:

Transparency – Many traditional chamas rely on manual record-keeping, which can lead to confusion and disputes. Pamojanova automatically maintains all records, allowing members to view contributions, balances, and transactions at any time.

Security – Handling cash or using unverified accounts increases the risk of fraud or losing money. Pamojanova safeguards users with secure systems and requires members to undergo identity verification (KYC).

Convenience – Members can contribute without attending physical meetings by sending and receiving money through M-Pesa or Airtel Money from any location in Kenya.

Simplified management – Churches, schools, NGOs, and other groups can utilise Pamojanova to manage welfare funds, donations, and community activities more effectively.

Automated payouts – The platform handles savings rotation and payouts automatically, minimising errors and ensuring members get their money promptly.

What are the unique features of the app?

I’ll say automation. The system does everything automatically. For example, once a chama is created the system tracks, notifies and sends payouts. For welfares, once created all members see the available balance and when withdrawing money it can only be sent to a welfare member and the transaction must be approved by the officials.

How secure is your platform?

The app is approved to use safaricom to receive money from customers to my business and also approved my business to send automatically to customers. The app also uses KYC (Know Your Customer). During registration you upload your ID front and back which will be approved in within a few hours or rejected with reason. We also use 2 factor authentication, one time pins, security questions and biometrics whereby fingerprints can be set.

Finally, under chamas, the creator is advised to only allow and approve members he knows only eg members from the same bodaboda stage or people from same locality.

How does your app guarantee data security?

Customer data is robustly encrypted. Suppose a customer’s phone number is 0712345678, when encrypted, it becomes something like 8F4A9X2M7KQ1P6R. Anyone who sees the database will only see the scrambled text and won’t understand it.

Did you do it alone or are you a team?

I did it alone starting in 2024. I stalled a bit but continued in 2025.

What was the process before the app got uploaded on Play Store? Was it straightforward?

They had to confirm whether my app follows their policy and the Kenyan government’s policies. I then sent documents to prove legitimacy. After that, they waited 7 days, then asked to test the app for 14 days with not fewer than 12 testers. After 14 days, I published it, and again waited for 7 days for the Play Store to reconfirm and approve it.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

I have received recommendations fom testers, chamas, welfare and michango groups.

What is the future of your platform?

To be the leading platform in Kenya that digitalizes community funding systems and increases accountability and accessibility.

-Joan Muthui is a pharmacist who enrolled at the Lenana Institute of Beekeeping in 2024 and learnt that beeswax, the by-product that remains after extraction of honey could be used to make skincare products.

-With the help of her former lecturer, she immersed herself into deep research. Initially, her products got a thumbs down after she received feedback that it was too harsh and irritating.

*****

Joan Muthui is the brains behind Beesplash Limited, a company specialising in manufacturing organic skincare products from beeswax. From an initial disappointment to receiving daily orders, and having her products recommended by dermatologists, Joan’s journey is truly inspirational.

Here is the story as told by WoK.

Working as a pharmacist

Joan is a pharmacist and for many years, she had witnessed patients suffering from various skin ailments having to buy medications again and again. This was in the long-term expensive given the conditions took long periods to resolve.

“Anything relating to the skin is not a one-day thing. You take a drug for diarrhea and it stops (but for the) skin it is a journey – it can take a year, two years, three years. You see people becoming frustrated with unending issues,” she says.

In 2024, she enrolled for a short course at the Lenana Institute of Beekeeping and learnt that beeswax could be used to manufacture organic skincare products.

Later that year, she met her previous lecturer who was by then producing his own organic soap. The reconnection reignited Joan’s long held aspiration to take on the same path.

Receiving help from the lecturer 

Working like clockwork, they researched and  formulated lip balms, soap and moisturiser using four core ingredients: bees wax, shea butter, honey and essential oils.

She used the Mount Kenya University Thika campus laboratory for a sterile and controlled production. She then tested the initial products on her sisters and pharmacy colleagues.

She received negative feedback that the product was too harsh and irritating. With unbridled determination, she reached out to the lecturer and they worked on improving their formulation. They got it right the second time.

Licencing and commercialisation

Prior to commercialisation, she needed approvals from the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) and the Pharmacy and Poisons Board. It was a long wait but luckily she wasn’t extorted. Finally, she was able to secure the licences.

Rotary fair and having her products prescribed 

In January 2025, Joan went for a rotary fair and paid for a stand. By the end of the day, her moisturisers had earned her a cool Ksh 9600.

“What? You mean it’s working?” She recalls thinking. “I have never looked back,” she says.

One day while working in the pharmacy, she received a pregnant woman who couldn’t afford the moisturiser she needed. Joan took the opportunity to offer her product as an alternative. She asked the woman to return if it did not work.

It was good news that the patient returned confirming that the body butter had stopped the itchiness that had troubled her. She then approached various gynecologists recommending the moisturiser as something that could work for expectant mothers with skin irritation. This saw at least two dermatologists prescribe the product.

“Seeing my product on a prescription from a dermatologist made me feel so good. That is when I knew this was real,” she says.

Making more sales

Though she currently doesn’t have any export structures, she has seen her products land in South Africa, United Kingdom and United States through international rotary delegates.

Currently she manages to make at least three to five units sales a day to 30-50 units on a good day.

-Lillian Ngala is the HR Director for DTB Bank, besides running an organisation that helps widows, orphans, youths and disabled people live a dignified life.

-Her commitment to this cause is deeply personal and inspired by her own experience her mother struggling with the family’s needs following the death of her father.

Here is her story as told by WoK:

Widowed mom struggling

While in high school, Lillian Ngala’s father passed away leaving the widowed mother facing significant financial and social challenges. The mother had to relocate the family to Homa Bay where they lived in a grass-thatched house which leaked whenever it rained.

To make a living, the mom worked as a tailor and would sew uniforms for a missionary school which in turn waived the required school fees.

“The family never lacked food, but dignity was a daily struggle,” she told Daily Nation.

Helping Widows

Following her illustrious career in the corporate sector where she has steadily risen to become the HR Director at DTB Bank, Lillian extends her impact beyond the boardroom through various philanthropic initiatives.

She runs the Lillian Ngala Foundation, an NGO meant to restore dignity and empower vulnerable people in the community.

She has been able to support over 100 widows from Homa Bay get decent housing. The initiatives also extends to helping them acquire capital for various small scale ventures and training them on managing the business.

Ngala says that this has in turn helped the women build on their confidence and live decent lives.

“Poverty makes widows hide, they don’t want to be seen, but the moment you give them a decent house, they come out. They walk into the market with their heads high. The transition is everything,” she says.

Her foundation also helps with school fees bursaries for orphaned and vulnerable children. It also empowers youths noting that this is beneficial for the wider community. For persons with disabilities, she helps with removing various barriers.

Decorated corporate career

Ngala has a decorated corporate career and has been in the human resource management field for over 20 years. She joined DTB Bank in 2012 where she has risen to become the HR Director. She overseas various functions including strategy and talent initiatives.

She holds an MBA in Strategic Management from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. She is certified as a professional trainer by the Institute of Human Resource Management.

She sits in various board including the Kenya Institute of Bankers, African Human Resource Congress and the Kenyan Network Information Centre (KeNIC).

She spearheads the Lillian Ngala Network that is committed to empowering the next generation of leaders.

Awards

• Shujaa Award 2025
• Top 50 HR leaders in Africa 2022
• Top 20 women making a difference in Kenya, 2021
• Top 50 influential women in Kenya 2025