Kenya Plans Sh220 Billion Railway to Transport Turkana Oil to Mombasa.
Kenya is planning to build a Sh220 billion railway line to transport crude oil from the South Lokichar Basin in Turkana County to the coast for export.
The proposed rail project is expected to move oil from Lokichar to Mombasa, providing a cheaper and faster alternative to the previously proposed crude oil pipeline. The plan involves transporting oil by road to a rail terminal and then using freight trains to move it to the port.
The railway is part of a broader strategy to support the development of Kenya’s oil sector, with the government targeting commercial oil production starting around 2026 and scaling up output in the coming years.
Once operational, the project is expected to:
- Improve the transportation of crude oil from Turkana
- Reduce logistics costs compared to road transport
- Boost Kenya’s oil export capacity
Spur infrastructure and economic growth in northern Kenya
The Turkana oil fields are estimated to produce up to 50,000 barrels per day at peak production, making transport infrastructure critical for the viability of the project.
