Overview:

Uganda is on track to complete technical works for the EACOP and upstream projects by July 2026. The 1,443-kilometer pipeline has reached 85 percent completion as engineering teams begin final integrity testing.

KAMPALA, Uganda — Construction and technical works for the East African Crude Oil Pipeline and associated upstream projects are on track to conclude by July, marking a final milestone in the country’s decade-long journey toward oil production.

The 1,443-kilometer pipeline, known as EACOP, has reached 85 percent completion. Data from an April 2026 progress report shows that 1,492 kilometers of pipe have been welded, with 916 kilometers already lowered into the ground. Engineering teams have commenced hydrotesting, a process used to check for leaks and structural weaknesses, across all three construction lots in Uganda and Tanzania.

In tandem with the pipeline progress, the Tilenga and Kingfisher upstream projects in the Lake Albert basin have moved into pre-commissioning phases. Gloria Sebikari, the manager for corporate affairs at the Petroleum Authority of Uganda, said drilling teams have exceeded the number of wells required for the start of production. At the Tilenga site, 212 wells are complete, while Kingfisher has 22 wells ready for operation.

Tony Otoa, chief corporate affairs officer at the Uganda National Oil Company, said the firm is now focusing on the strategic handling of the crude to ensure maximum value once flow begins.

At the export terminal in Tanga, Tanzania, overall work at the marine tank terminal is 60.9 percent complete, though the storage tanks required to hold the crude are much further along at 89.2 percent. The offshore oil jetty, which will load vessels for international markets, is reported at 88.1 percent completion.

Following the expected completion of technical works in July, experts estimate it will take approximately three months for the first crude oil to travel from western Uganda to the Tanzanian coast.

The start of production is expected to trigger significant economic shifts. Recent International Monetary Fund projections place Uganda among the top three fastest-growing economies in Africa for 2026, with an estimated growth rate of 7.5 percent driven by the approaching oil revenues.