Minister of Energy & Mineral Dev’t of Uganda, Ruth Nankabirwa, alongside Salome Wycliffe Makamba, the Deputy Minister of Energy of Tanzania, paid a visit to the Marine Storage & Terminal (MST) facility in Tanga Region to check on progress at the Facility.
Kampala, Uganda | URN | The East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project has registered significant construction progress in the first quarter of 2026.
The developer of the 1,443km, 24-inch diameter heated and buried crude oil pipeline says it has reached a key milestone across Uganda and Tanzania, including the completion of pipe deliveries and continued advancement toward first oil.
The pipeline will transport oil produced from Uganda’s Lake Albert oilfields to the port of Tanga in Tanzania, where the oil will then be sold onwards to world markets. As Ugandans wait for the so-called first oil this year, it is anticipated that the completion of the pipeline could have the crude oil flow out of the country before a refinery is constructed.
In a quarterly update, EACOP Managing Director Guillaume Dulout said January to March had been marked by “focused execution” and “measurable advancement” across multiple fronts, reflecting growing momentum on the multi-billion-dollar regional infrastructure project.
“Our teams have maintained strong momentum in construction activities, mechanical installations, and supporting infrastructure development along the pipeline route,” Dulout said. “Every milestone achieved this quarter brings us closer to first oil.”
One of the major highlights of this quarter was the arrival of the final line pipe shipment in Uganda on January 10, 2026, at Main Camp and Pipe Yard 4 (MCPY4) in Kyotera District.
The delivery, according to Dulout, marked the completion of a complex international supply chain that began with the first shipment of pipes to Dar es Salaam in December 2023. A project report by EACOP says the manufacturing of the pipes in China was completed in September 2025, followed by insulation works in Tanzania, which were finalised in late December 2025.
These developments, according to the project officials, marked a critical milestone as the end of a critical procurement phase and a key step toward full-scale construction completion.
EACOP, which stretches from Lake Albert in western Uganda to the Tanzanian port of Tanga, is being implemented in three main sections covering Uganda and Tanzania. Pipeline construction activities are ongoing across all three lots.
Lot one, based in Uganda, involves the extension of the pipeline from Buliisa to the Mutukula border. While lot two covers the Mutukula to Singida section on the Tanzanian side. Lot three involves the extension of the pipeline from Singida to Chongoleani in Tanga, Tanzania.
Other ongoing works include hydrotesting, pipeline cleaning and gauging, and civil works for mainline block valve stations.
Significant progress has also been recorded on above-ground installations and export infrastructure. Pump stations and related facilities in both Uganda and Tanzania are now between 59% and 67% complete, with substantial work done on concrete structures, steel erection, and piping systems.
At the coastal export terminal in Chongoleani, Tanga, the jetty has reached 88.1% completion. Engineers have successfully installed key marine infrastructure, including loading arms, mooring systems, and walkways, while piling and major concrete works have been finalised.
Meanwhile, preparatory works have begun for the horizontal directional drilling under the Kagera River, a technically complex crossing along the pipeline route.
EACOP’s broader execution phase, covering land acquisition, engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning, runs between 2022 and 2026. With most procurement milestones now completed and construction progressing steadily, the project is entering a critical phase as it moves closer to commissioning and eventual oil export.
Officials say the progress recorded in the first quarter underscores the project’s trajectory toward achieving its first oil target, a milestone expected to significantly shape the region’s energy and economic landscape.
