Ruto: Kenya will end raw mineral exports

Kenya will no longer allow its mineral wealth to leave the country in raw form, President William Ruto said, placing the dispute over Tata Chemicals’ Lake Magadi operations at the center of a broader economic policy.

Ruto defended the government’s decision to suspend Tata Chemicals’ activities in Kajiado County. He said Kenya had not been receiving sufficient value from the natural resource and argued that more investors should have an opportunity to develop the area.

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We want to give five, six or even 10 companies an opportunity to use the resources there to create jobs, value, create wealth and reduce poverty.

“We want to give five, six or even 10 companies an opportunity to use the resources there to create jobs, value, create wealth and reduce poverty,” Ruto said during a thanksgiving service in South Horr, Samburu County.

He said the new approach would apply across the extractive sector, including Magadi soda, oil and other minerals. “Going into the future, our position as the government. Whether we are talking about Magadi Soda or oil or all our minerals, we have taken the decision that we will no longer export raw materials,” Ruto said. “We are going to process all minerals available in Kenya.”

Tata Chemicals has been associated with soda ash production at Lake Magadi for more than a century. Its Kenyan operations trace back to 1911, when the Magadi Soda Company began extracting trona from the lake. Operations were suspended on July 28, 2026, following a directive from the Ministry of Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs over compliance and licensing issues.

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Going into the future, our position as the government. Whether we are talking about Magadi Soda or oil or all our minerals, we have taken the decision that we will no longer export raw materials.

The proposed policy would require resources including gold, limestone, iron ore, graphite, titanium and soda ash to be processed or refined in Kenya before export. The government says that would create industrial jobs, strengthen local supply chains and raise export values.

Ruto pointed to planned cooperation with Nigerian businessman Aliko Dangote as an example of the investment model Kenya wants to pursue. He said talks were underway on an oil refinery and petrochemical complex in Lamu, alongside efforts to attract investors to mineral refining.

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We are going to process all minerals available in Kenya.