The Ministry of Energy and Petroleum announced a public naming exercise for Kenya’s crude oil, with submissions due by 5 pm on Thursday, 29 October.

Proposals can be sent through the official petroleum website, emailed to crudeoilbranding@petroleum.go.ke, or delivered in a sealed envelope marked “Public participation: Naming of Kenya’s crude oil” to the State Department for Petroleum at Kasneb Towers Two.

Each entry must include the suggested name, a brief explanation of its meaning and suitability, and the submitter’s contact details.

The government stresses that the chosen name should reflect Kenya’s national identity, promote patriotism, be easy to pronounce across languages, and avoid links to counties, companies, political movements or religious groups.

The notice explains that crude oil grades traded internationally are identified by distinct names—such as Brent, Murban and Bonny Light—and that Kenya’s name will become its commercial identity in global markets for decades.

The naming drive follows President William Ruto’s Mashujaa Day declaration that Kenya aims to begin crude oil exports from Turkana in December 2026, moving from pilot production to full commercial operations.

The Ministry notes that the name must meet trademark registration requirements both in Kenya and abroad, ensuring it can be used on cargo documents, price reports and trading platforms.