Uganda and Tanzania Set for First Crude Oil Exports via EACOP
Business Updated: 10 January 2026 11:52 EAT
Crude oil tanks
Uganda and Tanzania are preparing to commence crude oil exports through the East African Crude Oil Pipeline, a landmark cross-border energy project expected to become operational by October this year, according to official statements from both governments.
The pipeline, commonly known as EACOP, will transport crude oil from Uganda’s oilfields in the Albertine Graben to the Tanzanian port city of Tanga on the Indian Ocean, providing Uganda with its first direct export route to international markets.
Stretching approximately one thousand four hundred and forty three kilometres, the pipeline will be the world’s longest electrically heated crude oil pipeline, a design necessity due to the waxy nature of Uganda’s crude.
EACOP has been designed to carry up to about two hundred and thirty thousand barrels of crude oil per day at peak capacity, significantly boosting the region’s ability to monetise its oil resources once full production begins.
The total cost of the project is estimated at around five billion dollars, making it one of the most expensive infrastructure undertakings in East Africa’s history, with financing drawn from equity partners and international lenders.
Major shareholders in the project include TotalEnergies, the Uganda National Oil Company, the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation and China National Offshore Oil Company, reflecting a mix of regional and global energy interests.
Construction of the pipeline has progressed steadily, with officials indicating that a large proportion of the main pipeline, pumping stations and marine export terminal at Tanga are already in place.
Authorities in both countries have stated that the October export target aligns with timelines for upstream oil production facilities in Uganda, including the Tilenga and Kingfisher projects, to be ready for initial output.
Once operational, EACOP is expected to transform Uganda into an oil-exporting nation and strengthen Tanzania’s position as a regional energy transit hub, with significant implications for government revenues, infrastructure development and regional integration.
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FELIX MAKONA
FACT FINDER AND DATA DRIVEN JOURNALIST. DATA MINING AT IT'S BEST. GET FACTS RANGING FROM MATTERS DISABILITY AND INCLUSION, POLITICS, ECONOMY, SPORTS AND GENERAL NEWS AROUND THE WORLD