Overview:

Uganda's oil infrastructure hits 79 percent implementation following the arrival of final pipeline shipments and progress toward an April refinery opening in Hoima.

KAMPALA, Uganda — Construction of Uganda’s petroleum infrastructure has reached a critical turning point with the arrival of the final batch of line pipes and the announcement that a new refinery at Kabalega Airport will be ready by April.

The delivery of the pipes on Jan. 10 marks the completion of the major logistics phase for the Ugandan section of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline. EACOP officials confirmed that overall pipeline construction now stands at 62 percent, with more than 1,400 kilometers welded and 500 kilometers fully buried across the project route.

Energy Minister Ruth Nankabirwa said the progress supports the government’s timeline for commercial oil production, which remains on track for late July.

“At Kingfisher, we are almost at 100 percent,” Nankabirwa said during a recent inspection. “By July, these components will be fully harmonized.”

The refinery at Kabalega Airport is expected to be commissioned by late March or early April. The facility is designed to process up to 60,000 barrels of crude oil per day for the domestic and regional market, while the remaining volumes will be transported through the 1,443-kilometer pipeline to the port of Tanga in Tanzania for export.

The technical commissioning of the entire pipeline system is scheduled for July 31. Infrastructure to support these operations is also nearing completion, including a 45-kilometer water access project that Nankabirwa said should be finished by April.

Project implementation for the broader oil sector stood at 79 percent last week. EACOP Deputy Managing Director John Bosco Habumugisha said the workforce has peaked at approximately 12,000 personnel, with more than 90 percent of employees being East African nationals.

The momentum in the energy sector coincides with a period of stability for the national currency. The Ugandan shilling strengthened on Wednesday to close at 3,437.73 against the U.S. dollar, a gain attributed to steady foreign currency inflows and balanced market demand.