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The construction East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) which is soon kicking off is expected to increase Job opportunities to 14,000, according to the Petroleum Authority of Uganda officials.

According to Kenneth Peter Bintu, the enterprise development officer at Petroleum Authority of Uganda, oil and gas sector is currently employing 13,067 people directly to licensed companies and contractors.

He noted that 90% of these employees are Ugandans.

He explained that between 2022 and 2023 the oil and gas sector was employing 13, 800 but due to the firming down of different development activities by oil companies and contractors, the workforce in the sector was reduced to 13,067.

However, he said with EACOP development which has already kicked off, the workers are expected to increase to 1400.

The implementations of EACOP projects are the Governments of Uganda and Tanzania (represented by Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC) and Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) respectively), Total Energies, and China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC).

He noted 7.1 billion dollars have so far been invested in the sector and of these contracts, 1.9 billion dollars were given to Ugandans.

During the CNOOC  National Content Suppliers Development Workshop at the Kingfisher development area in Kikuube district, Bintu challenged the people of Bunyoro to get prepared and get skills to grab such job opportunities adding that all these jobs need skilled labor.

He also challenged the local suppliers in Bunyoro region to register with the National Suppliers Database (NSD) to be able to access Business opportunities in the oil and gas sector.

The  workshop aimed at creating awareness of available opportunities  was  organized in partnership with Bunyoro research agency and development organization BRADO
Bintu explained  that last year 544 local companies in Bunyoro region were trained by PAU with funding from African development bank under FAPA project to prepare the local suppliers to be able to engage in oil and gas sector developments.

He expressed concern that despite the training few companies, mostly hotels have registered, adding that the only way one can easily access oil and gas opportunities is to register with the National Suppliers database.

According to Kenneth Peter Bintu, the enterprise development officer at Petroleum Authority of Uganda, oil and gas sector is currently employing 13,067 people directly to licensed companies and contractors. (All Photos by Peter Abaanabasazi)

He noted registering is simple adding that one only needs to have a registered company, bank reference letter, NSSF clearance and Tin numbers, tax clearance certificate and details of the shareholders to register.

Eric Jumba, the China Offshore Oil Company (CNOOC) National content manager, challenged the local suppliers in the region to mind about the issue of quality because it’s a key factor for one to supply in the sector.

He noted that the oil and gas sector is focusing on quality supply, adding many companies have missed opportunities after failing to meet quality standards.

On the progress of the oil project, at Kingfisher, Jumba said that procurement and construction components one (PC1) For the Kingfisher development project worth 23.3 million dollars is progressing well.

He noted that Excel Construction Limited, a Ugandan company that was contracted by CNOOC has finished drilling four oil wells out of 31 that are going to be used to produce oil on over the 20 wells.

He added the construction of the camps, roads, central processing facility, and feeder pipeline are at 6% progress.

He noted with all this development, there are several opportunities that local communities should think about how to benefit from these opportunities.

Martin  Byaruhanga executive director of  BRADO  said that health, transport, hospitality, security, and supplies of food and construction as some of the services that were rig-fenced by the government for the local communities. 

Recently Ernest Rubondo, the executive director of Petroleum Authority Uganda said that all the infrastructure needed for the production of Uganda’s oil and gas in the Albertine Graben were progressing.

He noted that they hope that the Construction -EACOP project from Kabaale Sub-county in Hoima district to Tanga in Tanzania will start this year.

Rubondo added that TotalEnergies E&P Uganda, an oil company contracted by the Government to develop the Tilenga upstream oil projects has also started construction of a central processing facility district of Buliisa in preparation for production of the first oil by 2025.