Tanzania, April 30 -- Dar es Salaam. Days after prominent African businessman Aliko Dangote expressed his intention to support East African countries in building an oil refinery in the Tanga Region, business and economic stakeholders say the move will be a major catalyst for economic transformation across East African economies.

The plan was announced by Kenya's President William Ruto, who said East African countries are engaged in joint discussions to establish a refinery at the Port of Tanga, expected to be modelled on Dangote's large-scale refinery in Nigeria.

Speaking at an infrastructure financing conference in Nairobi last week, Mr Ruto said the refinery would be strategic for the region and would process crude oil from several co...