The East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project, linking Uganda’s Lake Albert oilfields to the Port of Tanga in Tanzania, has reached 58% overall completion, marking a major milestone in the region’s energy development.
This update was provided by Natasha Kassami, National Content and Capacity Building Lead at EACOP, during the 2025 Energy Convention held at the Serena Hotel in Kampala.
Speaking in a session focused on “Current and Emerging Opportunities in Uganda’s Oil and Gas Sector,” Kassami revealed significant progress in both engineering and procurement.
“The EACOP project has reached 58% overall progress, with engineering works 98% complete and procurement at 83% in terms of the major equipment needed for the pipeline,” she said.
According to Kassami, nearly 80% of the 1,443-kilometre pipeline has already been manufactured in China and shipped to Tanzania for coating.
As of November 2023, only 100 kilometres were ready for shipment; however, the pace has accelerated in recent months.
As of Q1 2025:
- 553 kilometres of pipeline have been thermally insulated
- 233 kilometres have been welded
- 57 kilometres coated
- 17 kilometres buried underground
These achievements underscore the rapid advancement of what is set to become the world’s longest electrically heated crude oil pipeline.
Kassami also emphasized the project’s commitment to local capacity development—a central part of her portfolio.
“As of the first quarter of 2025, we have 2,483 people working on the project, 90% of whom are Ugandan,” she noted. “We’ve surpassed 8 million man-hours.”
Since 2022, EACOP has spent over $100 million on local goods and services, significantly boosting Uganda’s local content ecosystem.
To build human capital, over 74 Ugandan graduates have been sent abroad for technical training in China, Italy, Spain, and India.
Many of them are now employed by EACOP contractors.
In addition, 141 field operators across Uganda and Tanzania have been trained, with more international sessions planned.
EACOP has also delivered 24 industry enhancement training programs for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and vocational institutions to ensure widespread skills transfer.
Upon completion, the 1,443-kilometre EACOP pipeline will transport crude oil from Uganda’s Lake Albert oil fields to Tanzania’s Port of Tanga on the Indian Ocean coast.
The project is a joint venture between TotalEnergies (France), CNOOC (China), and the national oil companies of Uganda and Tanzania.
In March 2025, EACOP secured its first tranche of external financing from a syndicate of regional financial institutions—boosting investor confidence and accelerating the implementation timeline.
The pipeline will play a critical role in strengthening regional energy security, enhancing export capabilities, and spurring economic development.
Both Uganda and Tanzania are ramping up their upstream ambitions.
Uganda is set to launch its third oil licensing round in July 2025, with expectations to begin first commercial oil production later this year.
Tanzania plans to launch its first oil bid round since 2014 later this month.
