Overview:

Uganda moves toward commercial oil production with a focus on national content and international accreditation to ensure local workforce participation in the petroleum operations phase.

KAMPALA — Direct employment in Uganda’s oil and gas sector surpassed 21,000 jobs by the end of 2025 as the country nears commercial oil production, the Petroleum Authority of Uganda announced during the third Oil and Gas Skills Expo at Makerere University.

The industry has also generated an estimated 50,000 indirect opportunities across supply chains, including transportation, hospitality, and subcontracting, PAU Executive Director Ernest Rubondo said. Speaking to stakeholders and students, Rubondo emphasized that while the sector is expanding, the transition of technical expertise to the broader economy remains a primary regulatory challenge.

“This year’s expo is timely because it aligns with the current stage of development of Uganda’s oil and gas sector as it progresses towards commercial oil production,” Rubondo said. “It is important to appreciate that skills transfer does not occur automatically. It requires deliberate interventions including certification, structured training, and information sharing.”

The expo, themed “From Oil and Gas to the Wider Economy: Transferable Skills Driving Sustainable Growth,” focused on preparing the domestic workforce for the upcoming operations phase. Grace Tusiime, undersecretary at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, represented Energy Minister Ruth Nankabirwa at the event.

Tusiime noted that the government is prioritizing workforce readiness, international accreditation, and strategic research to ensure Ugandans remain competitive as petroleum activities shift from development to production.

The event was organized under the Petroleum Exploration, Development and Production (National Content) Regulations 2016. These regulations mandate the PAU to implement educational forums that promote national content and increase Ugandan participation in the energy value chain.

The PAU currently oversees five regulatory pillars: petroleum resource management, cost monitoring, data management, health and safety standards, and national content development.