NAIROBI, Kenya, June 29 – Kenya and Rwanda have signed three agreements establishing a government-to-government framework for the importation of refined petroleum products through the Northern Corridor.
The agreements comprise a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), a Tripartite Agreement (TPA) and a Transport and Storage Agreement (TSA), paving the way for Rwanda to source bulk refined fuel through Kenya.
Under the arrangement, the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) will provide transportation and storage services for petroleum products destined for Rwanda using its pipeline network, storage facilities and the Kisumu Oil Jetty.
The deal is expected to increase fuel volumes transported through KPC’s infrastructure, boosting pipeline utilisation and storage capacity while strengthening trade between the two countries.
Speaking after the signing, Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi described the agreements as a major milestone in regional cooperation, saying Kenya was placing its strategic petroleum infrastructure at Rwanda’s service to guarantee long-term energy security.
“This is truly a remarkable milestone for regional integration,” he said.
“Kenya is therefore putting its pipeline, its Port of Mombasa and its people at the service of Rwanda’s energy security.”
The first shipment under the new framework, designated RNEC 001/2026, is expected to arrive at the Port of Mombasa between September 4 and 6, marking the operational rollout of the agreement.
Rwanda’s Minister of Trade and Industry Antoine-Marie Kajangwe described the signing as a historic achievement that transforms a shared vision between the governments of Kenya and Rwanda into an operational reality.
He said the partnership would strengthen regional energy security, improve supply chain efficiency, reduce logistical challenges and create greater certainty for both governments and private sector players.
“The agreements we sign today collectively establish the legal, institutional and operational architecture required to give effect to this partnership,” Kajangwe said.
He explained that the Memorandum of Understanding provides the overarching framework for bilateral cooperation in the petroleum sector, while the Tripartite Agreement defines governance and implementation responsibilities among the two governments and the Rwanda National Energy Company.
The Transport and Storage Agreement between KPC and RNEC, he added, establishes the commercial arrangements governing transportation, storage, cargo scheduling and handling of Rwanda’s petroleum imports through Kenya’s infrastructure.
Kajangwe praised technical teams from both countries, including Kenya’s Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) and Kenya Pipeline Company, for successfully negotiating the complex framework over the past two and a half years.
He noted that the collaboration had enabled Rwanda to deepen its understanding of Kenya’s petroleum import systems, cargo nomination procedures, scheduling protocols, quality assurance requirements and pipeline operations ahead of implementation.
The Rwandan minister also said the partnership demonstrates the value of regional integration under the East African Community and the African Continental Free Trade Area, arguing that shared infrastructure and harmonized regulatory frameworks are critical to reducing business costs and improving Africa’s competitiveness.
