Energy minister Nankabirwa meets Tanzanian officials over oil project

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A high-level stakeholder meeting has been held at the Ministry of Energy in Dar es Salaam between the governments of Uganda and Tanzania as part of ongoing coordination and preparations for Uganda’s first oil under the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project.

The meeting, held on Monday (January 5), brought together a high-level Ugandan delegation led by the Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, Ruth Nankabirwa.

The delegation included Eng. Geoffrey Ogwang, acting commissioner for the midstream department; Eng. Herbert Mugizi, acting commissioner and EACOP project coordinator; Mathias Katamba, board chairperson of the Uganda National Oil Company; Zulaika Mirembe Kasaija, board chairperson of the National Petroleum Council; John Bosco Habomugisha, deputy managing director of EACOP; and Tony Otoa, chief corporate affairs officer of UNOC.

Nankabirwa (Second Left) with officials from Tanzania during the meeting. (Courtesy photo)

On the Tanzanian side, the meeting was hosted by the Minister for Energy, Deogratius Ndejembi, and attended by senior officials from the Ministry of Energy, the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation and the Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority.

The stakeholder engagement provided an update on the overall status of the EACOP project, which had reached 79 per cent completion by the end of December 2025. Participants reviewed progress across the pipeline, above-ground installations, marine terminal facilities in Tanga and supporting infrastructure. It was noted that construction activities are at peak levels and remain aligned towards achieving readiness for start-up by July 31, 2026, with first oil exports expected in October 2026.

Ndejembi welcomed the Ugandan delegation to Tanzania and reaffirmed his government’s commitment to supporting the timely and successful delivery of EACOP. He underscored the importance of the project as a flagship regional integration initiative and highlighted Tanzania’s role in facilitating land access, regulatory approvals and financing instruments to enable smooth implementation.

Nankabirwa congratulated the Tanzanian leadership on the successful conduct of recent elections and conveyed appreciation to the President of Tanzania for the unwavering support extended to the EACOP project. She acknowledged that while the project has faced criticism, strong political leadership and cooperation between the two countries remain critical to sustaining momentum.

The minister noted that although she has been receiving regular technical and management reports on the project, the visit was intended to allow her to personally assess progress on the ground and gain a deeper understanding of the implementation status. She emphasised the strategic role of EACOP in enabling the transportation of crude oil to international markets and in strengthening regional energy trade.

Nankabirwa invited her Tanzanian counterpart to undertake a reciprocal visit to Uganda to observe progress at key facilities, including Pump Station One, as a further demonstration of the close partnership between the two countries. She reaffirmed that project teams are operating at high capacity to ensure timely completion.

She further noted that in October this year, Tanzania will host Uganda and other partners for the commissioning of the project, marking a major milestone in the EACOP journey.

As a symbol of strong bilateral relations and mutual cooperation, Tanzania’s Minister for Energy presented a goodwill gift to Nankabirwa, underscoring the shared commitment to the successful delivery of the project.

The meeting also highlighted the broader socio-economic importance of EACOP, with leaders noting that the project is expected to support employment for thousands of people and stimulate skills development and local participation once associated infrastructure, including the refinery, becomes fully operational.

Both sides emphasised the need to prepare citizens with relevant skills to enable meaningful participation in the oil and gas value chain.

The meeting reaffirmed the commitment of both governments and EACOP partners to deliver the remaining works safely, sustainably and on schedule, in the spirit of regional cooperation and mutual benefit.