Oil and Gas Countdown: Can black gold deliver promised economic transformation?

Kampala, August 3, 2026 - Reports from PAU indicate that EACOP is 90% Complete. Will it be ready to transport crude in September?

According to recent reports, TotalEnergies indicated that first oil from the Tilenga Project should begin flowing around September this year. Equally, oil from the CNOOC-operated field is expected to flow at the same time, following final testing and commissioning of the Central Processing Facility (CPF) and feeder pipelines.

The commencement of production will usher Uganda into the ranks of Africa’s oil-producing nations after years of exploration, negotiations and infrastructure development. Since the Final Investment Decision on 1st February 2022, petroleum activities have accelerated across the Albertine Graben.

Construction of the Tilenga and Kingfisher projects and the East African Crude Oil Pipeline has generated employment, expanded business opportunities for Ugandan suppliers and driven investment in supporting infrastructure. The Petroleum Authority of Uganda has reported that Ugandan firms have won contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars, while the government has continued to collect revenues from licences, taxes and other petroleum-related payments. Even before production begins, the petroleum sector has already begun leaving its mark on Uganda’s economy. The government has collected revenues from licence fees, taxes and signature bonuses, while oil-related investments have stimulated business activity in sectors ranging from construction and transport to hospitality and logistics.