KENYA AIRWAYS AND RUBIS ENERGY KENYA TO ESTABLISH DEDICATED SUSTAINABLE AVIATION FUEL REFINERY
11 May 2026 Nairobi, Kenya: Kenya Airways (NSE: KQ) and Rubis Energy Kenya, a subsidiary of Rubis Énergie, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on 10 May 2026 to develop the first dedicated sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) refinery on the African continent.
The project, based in Nairobi, establishes a framework for the joint engineering, financing, and operation of a facility designed to produce low carbon fuel from local waste feedstocks.
The agreement was finalized in the presence of His Excellency Dr. William Ruto, C.G.H., President of the Republic of Kenya, and His Excellency Mr. Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic.
As the two heads of state observed the signing during the Africa Forward Summit, the event marked a shift in regional industrial cooperation. For the first time, this summit was hosted in a non-Francophone nation, highlighting a shared intent between Kenya and France to accelerate investments in green energy and technology.
The refinery will utilize modular technology from Dragonfly to process primary feedstocks, including used cooking oils, waste animal fats, and other vegetable oils. By locating it near Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, production will be integrated with existing infrastructure. The refinery is expected to have a production capacity of 32,000 tonnes, with a project investment estimated at €60-70M.
George Kamal, Acting Group Managing Director and CEO of Kenya Airways, stated that the project addresses the global greenhouse gas emissions. Currently, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport consumes 2.9 million litres of jet
He said switching to SAF was the most commercially viable, technologically mature, and lowest-risk solution to significantly decarbonise aviation in the world today. we currently depend entirely on imports, this refinery allows us to produce our own sustainable fuel. Renewable biogenic fuel is the optimal route for airlines to reach
Jean-Christian Bergeron, Co-Managing Partner of Rubis and CEO of Rubis Énergie, said the involvement was consistent with its roadmap to deliver low carbon energy solutions around the world, with a special focus on bringing meaningful opportunities to Africa.
“Our priority will be technology transfer and ensuring that training is provided for local skills development so that the facility, and associated supply chains, will be operated and managed by Kenyans. This focus on local skills aligns with the broader objectives of the Africa Forward Summit to create meaningful economic opportunities through international partnerships.”
Dragonfly, the company Rubis has partnered with to provide modular SAF refineries, is founded on bringing existing technologies to market quicker than any other SAF refinery in the world, with a lower financial and carbon footprint. Dragonfly intends to bring the facility online within 24 months of receiving all the required local planning approvals.
Karl W. Felider, CEO of Dragonfly, said, “The critical advantage of this project is that a Dragonfly refinery can be sited close to both the feedstock and the consumers of the fuel, and utilise the existing Rubis infrastructure to provide a long-term daily supply of SAF to Kenya Airways at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport”
PRESS CONTACTS
| Corporate Comms Department Kenya Airways Phone: +254 722 667 906 Email: Corporate.communications@kenya- airways.com |
Moses Muchoki Burson Phone: +254 0706 171444 Email: Moses.Muchoki@hkstrategies.co.ke |
Karl. W. Feilder, Co-founder, CEO Dragonfly Phone: + (971) 50 1886508 Email: info@dragonflyfuels.com |
ABOUT THE PARTNERS
Kenya Airways (NSE: KQ)
Kenya Airways, the flag carrier airline of Kenya, plays a crucial role in the country’s socio-economic landscape. Headquartered in Nairobi, the airline is not just a key player in the aviation sector but also a significant contributor to national development. Kenya Airways is committed to efficient management of natural resources and waste to safeguard the environment for future generations.
www.corporate.kenya-airways.com
Rubis Energy Kenya
Rubis is a distributor of energy and mobility solutions, locally anchored in over 40 countries across Africa, the Caribbean and providing critical goods to communities, businesses and people. From energy products to mobility services, Rubis connects supply and demand through end-to-end control of the logistics chain, which ranges from transport and storage to a network of 1,150 service stations across 23 countries. This unique market position allows us to meet customer needs where and when needed, safely and reliably. Listed in Paris, Rubis has established its leadership position through acquisitions and selective partnerships, entering new markets with a value creation mindset and an entrepreneurial spirit. Rubis is a signatory of the United Nations Global Compact. Rubis Energy Kenya is 100% owned by Rubis Énergie following the full acquisition of KenolKobil and Gulf Energy Holdings in 2019. It is one of the leading oil marketing companies in East Africa.
www.rubis.fr and www.rubiskenya.com
Dragonfly
Dragonfly Holdings Ltd (Dragonfly) is a clean energy company headquartered in the United Arab Emirates, deploying a globally distributed platform of modular refineries to produce Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO, aka renewable diesel) from lipid-based waste. Dragonfly refineries are ten times smaller than traditional SAF refineries. Built in modularised standard formats in a factory, the fast-deploying and infrastructure-light sites co-locate within existing refineries or terminals to create a biofuels stream from local waste.
www.dragonflyfuels.com
