Our activities in Kenya

African woman holds castor beans in her hand

We operate in Kenya in the exploration and agro-industrial sectors. The country is leading Africa in the production of vegetable oil for Eni’s biorefineries in Gela and Venice. This is being done through a circular economy model that benefits local communities and helps to ensure a sustainable supply of raw materials to the global energy market. In 2023, Kenya’s national airline became the first in the world to use sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) produced by Enilive on its Nairobi-Amsterdam route.

Africa is playing an increasingly important role in the global economy and geopolitics. To support its constant demographic growth and economic development, the continent needs to invest in energy infrastructure. This is especially true in the sub-Saharan region, where millions of people still lack access to electricity. The energy transition provides an opportunity to meet these challenges by modernizing the energy mix and making it more efficient.  

Country profile

Activity start date: 1960 - present

Bioenergy
Bioenergy
Oil & Gas
Oil & Gas
Economic diversification
Economic diversification
Access to water and sanitation
Access to water and sanitation

Eni Kenya

Qatar Petroleum

How we operate in the country

From Agip Kenya to exploration

Agip Kenya was the first Eni company to operate in the field of import and distribution of oil products and by-products, nitrogen fertilisers, and synthetic rubber from the 1960s. Today, as Eni Kenya, we are also engaged in exploration activities in the offshore  in six blocks located in the deep waters of the Lamu Basin, off Mombasa.

First cargo of bio-oil from Kenya to Italy

Kenya is the first African country in which we have built an oilseed pressing plant for the extraction of vegetable oil for the production of biofuel. Located in Wote, Makueni County, the centre, also known as an agri-hub, has a capacity of 15,000 tons per year and, since 2022, has been supplying the Eni biorefinery in Gela.

This is a new model in the agribusiness sector that allows Kenya to enter the global industrial chain for the production of agri-feedstock, which are raw materials cultivated on degraded, semi-arid or abandoned land that are not in competition with the food supply chain.

The first plant will be followed by a second. The development plan for the agri-hubs generates income and market access opportunities for tens of thousands of farmers and provides for them to also function as training and technical support centres for local workers with the goal of contributing to the improvement of agricultural production and soil regeneration, also through the adoption of good practices and the promotion of food security in the territories.  

Oil ollection and other initiatives

As part of the circular economy projects launched across the country, there is also the collection of used cooking oil (UCO) involving fast food chains, restaurants and hotels, and a study for the conversion of the Mombasa refinery into a biorefinery.  Since 2018 we have been the private funder of an enterprise acceleration programme the result of the collaboration between several partners, including the E4Impact Foundation, The CeSPI (Centro Studi di Politica Internazionale) the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) and the  Catholic University of the Sacred Heart of Milan. Finally, in Lamu County, we built a solar-powered desalination plant to produce clean and drinking water, around 20,000 litres per day, which benefits 2,000 inhabitants, given that, during periods of drought, it can rise to 6,500 people.

Highlights

Below is a selection of data about our activities in the country 

200
K ton/y

agri-feedstock production through to 2026


25
K

families involved in agri-feedstock projects


400
suppliers

involved in the collection and export of used oils in 2022


50.677
km²

gross undeveloped area vs 41,892 km² total net area


200
K ton/y

agri-feedstock production through to 2026

25
K

families involved in agri-feedstock projects

400
suppliers

involved in the collection and export of used oils in 2022

50.677
km²

gross undeveloped area vs 41,892 km² total net area

Expand

Our history in Kenya

From petroleum products to biofuels, we share the country’s path towards the energy transition.

May

2023

December

2022

October

2022

July

2022

December

2021

July

2021

July

2021

2013

1960

First flight from Africa with Enilive

Kenya Airways flight covering the route Nairobi-Amsterdam is powered by sustainable aviation fuel produced by Enilive.

The SEMAKENYA II started

In collaboration with AICS, the initiative aims to test climate-resistant sustainable agricultural technologies and practices inMakueni County.

Export of eegetable oil launch

The first cargo of vegetable oil for biorefining produced by Eni in Kenya leaves the port of Mombasa bound for the biorefinery in Gela, Italy.

The first agri-hub is operational

The Makueni agri-hub for the collection and pressing of oilseed is operative with the launch of vegetable oil production for biorefineries.

Agri-feedstock production begins

Around 25,000 local farmer families are involved in the production of agri-feedstock for the biorefining supply chain.

Memorandum of understanding with AICS

The collaboration agreement covers key sectors for the development of the country, such as agriculture and the environment, healthcare and education, innovation and access to energy.

Memorandum of understanding with the Government of Kenya

The agreement provides for the promotion of the decarbonisation process through the integration of the circular economy along the entire supply chain.

Eni Kenya is born

Activities in the exploration and production of natural resources resume.

Agip Kenya is born

The company starts production and distribution activities of petroleum products and by-products, nitrogen fertilisers and synthetic rubber.

Towards a new energy

Visit the agri-feedstock projects that contribute to the increasingly sustainable supply of our biorefineries.

Eni Kenya

Kenya Branch

Eaton Place

5th Floor

Gigiri, United Nations Crescent

Off Limuru Road

P.O. Box 2913-00621

Nairobi, Kenya

Last update: 22 June 2023


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