Kenya and Rwanda have signed three agreements to enable Rwanda to import bulk refined petroleum products through Kenya, marking a significant step in strengthening regional energy security and trade within the East African Community.
The agreements, which include a Memorandum of Understanding, a Tripartite Agreement, and a Transport and Storage Agreement, establish the legal and operational framework for Rwanda to access petroleum imports. The imports will come through the Port of Mombasa and Kenya’s pipeline infrastructure under a government-to-government arrangement.
Speaking during the signing ceremony, Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi noted that the agreements fully open the Northern Corridor to Rwanda for the importation of bulk refined petroleum products, positioning Kenya as a strategic regional energy hub.
“Kenya is putting its pipeline, its port, and its people at the service of Rwanda’s energy security. That is what we celebrate today,” said Wandayi.
The Cabinet Secretary affirmed Kenya’s commitment to providing a reliable transit system to guarantee long-term fuel supply to Rwanda.
“Kenya will provide a transit environment to guarantee security of supply of bulk refined petroleum products to Rwanda for the long haul,” he said.
According to Wandayi, the agreement is expected to significantly increase petroleum volumes transported through the Northern Corridor. Annual shipments are projected to rise from approximately 50,000 cubic metres to more than 500,000 cubic metres.
He emphasised that this growth in volumes represents more than just increased trade, he described it as a catalyst for deeper economic integration between the two countries and across the wider Great Lakes region.
“The numbers, however, are not the endgame. What this represents for our two great nations is deeper economic integration that will serve the East African Community and the Great Lakes Region for several decades to come,” he said.
Wandayi explained that the partnership stems from bilateral engagements initiated during a meeting in Kigali in November 2024, where both governments agreed on a roadmap for cooperation in the bulk refined petroleum products sector.
Since then, Rwanda’s National Energy Company has been registered in Kenya and licensed by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority to import, export, and wholesale petroleum products.
The Cabinet Secretary also acknowledged the joint technical committee comprising officials from Kenya’s Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, the Kenya Pipeline Company, EPRA, and Rwanda’s Ministry of Trade and Industry. This committee developed the legal, commercial, and operational framework underpinning the agreement.
With the agreements now in force, Wandayi noted that attention shifts to implementation, with Rwanda’s first cargo expected to arrive at the Port of Mombasa in September 2026.
He described the maiden shipment as the first major milestone in the partnership, underscoring both governments’ commitment to its success.
