East Africa’s $4bn Heated Oil Pipeline 60% Complete

Construction of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), the flagship infrastructure project linking Uganda’s Lake Albert oilfields to Tanzania’s Port of Tanga, has reached 60 percent completion, according to the latest inspection update.

Stretching 1,443 kilometres, EACOP is set to become the longest heated crude oil pipeline in the world. Once complete, the pipeline will boost economic value in Uganda and Tanzania, carrying up to 246,000 barrels of oil daily from Kabaale to Chongoleani on the Indian Ocean.

The announcement came during a field visit by the Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (EWURA)’s Board of Directors to the Chongoleani site in Tanga. 

Speaking after the inspection, Engineer Ngosi Mwihava, Chairperson of EWURA’s Committee on Energy, said the Board was impressed with the progress and emphasised that the regulator would continue to ensure Tanzanians benefit directly from the development.

“As a regulator, EWURA is committed to monitoring this project’s implementation closely and ensuring it maximises employment and business opportunities for Tanzanians,” he said.

So far, the project has created 6,000 jobs, with 70 percent of those employed being locals from communities along the pipeline route. 

According to EACOP’s Human Resources and Corporate Affairs Director, Godfrey Mponda, this local recruitment reflects a growing national stake in the project’s success. 

“These figures show that Tanzanians are increasingly playing a central role in this regional infrastructure,” he noted.

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Tanga Regional Commissioner Dr Batilda Burian highlighted how local suppliers have also begun to benefit. “More regional businesses are now appearing in EWURA’s supplier database, and this is helping to build the local economy,” she told the delegation.

Owned by a consortium that includes TotalEnergies (62%), Uganda National Oil Company (15%), Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (15%), and China’s CNOOC (8%), the EACOP represents one of the largest capital investments ever undertaken in East Africa, valued at approximately USD 4 billion.

In addition to direct construction jobs, the pipeline is expected to trigger long-term economic gains for the host countries. 

According to EACOP’s official documentation, the project will contribute significantly to government tax revenues, stimulate local content development, improve transport infrastructure, and facilitate technology and skills transfer.

“The project will contribute to enhancing the central corridor between Uganda and Tanzania, spurring the development of better road infrastructure, improved logistics, and modern communication through the deployment of a fibre-optic cable,” EACOP says on its website.

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