• EACOP pipeline reaches 82% completion ahead of planned 2026 launch

• Project to transport 216,000 barrels daily from Uganda to Tanzania

• Legal challenges, rising costs raise concerns over economic returns

The East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), a 1,443-kilometre project designed to export Ugandan crude to international markets, is now 82% complete, Upstream Online reported on Thursday, April 2.

The progress brings the pipeline, which links the Lake Albert oil fields in Uganda to the port of Tanga in Tanzania, closer to becoming operational. In February, stakeholders said they were targeting July 2026 for the first shipment.

After an inspection led by Uganda’s Energy Minister Ruth Nankabirwa in early February 2026, EACOP Company said construction had surpassed 75%. The company is responsible for developing, financing, building and operating the pipeline.

Once completed, the infrastructure is expected to transport around 216,000 barrels of crude per day. The oil is highly viscous and waxy, requiring the pipeline to be fully insulated and fitted with heating stations along its route.

The project also includes pumping stations and an export terminal in Tanga. Construction began after TotalEnergies, the project operator, and its partners took a final investment decision in 2022.

EACOP Company said commissioning, for what is one of the longest pipelines in Africa, is expected within months, although the timeline depends on the completion of remaining works and technical testing.

A project still contested four years after its launch

Despite the progress, the project continues to face opposition. Inter Press Service (IPS) reported on Friday, April 3, that Ugandan farmers have filed a lawsuit in London in what is described as a last-minute attempt to halt the project.

According to IPS, the plaintiffs cite impacts on their land and livelihoods. The Business & Human Rights Resource Centre said the move reflects ongoing resistance to a project backed by the Ugandan and Tanzanian governments.

The opposition comes as the project’s economic outlook is also being questioned. According to Agence Ecofin, citing a February 2026 analysis by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), cost overruns could weigh on Uganda’s expected oil revenues.

The report estimates the project cost at around $5.6 billion, roughly 55% higher than initial projections. These overruns could significantly reduce state revenues, as oil companies recover their costs before profit-sharing mechanisms apply.

Abdel-Latif Boureima