• First crude loading under EACOP planned within five months

• Heated pipeline linking Uganda to Tanzania is 79 % complete

• Project is central to exporting up to 246,000 b/d of Ugandan crude

Tanzania and Uganda are planning a first oil shipment under the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project by July 2026, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan said on February 7, following bilateral talks with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni.

Tanzanian and Ugandan authorities said ongoing discussions are focused on technical aspects related to the start of crude oil exports, as well as on complementary infrastructure projects, including pipelines for refined petroleum products.

Tanzanian ports, including Tanga and Dar es Salaam, were cited by officials as key export hubs for the crude. Port upgrades were also mentioned as part of efforts to support traffic linked to the EACOP project.

Stretching about 1,443 kilometers, the heated pipeline will connect oil fields in Uganda’s Hoima region to Tanzania’s coast. It is one of the largest energy infrastructure projects currently under development in East Africa.

On February 6, 2026, EACOP Ltd, the company set up to develop and operate the pipeline, said overall project completion had reached 79 %, following an inspection visit led by Uganda’s Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, Ruth Nankabirwa.

This progress comes as Uganda steps up preparations for oil production beyond the EACOP corridor, Ecofin Agency previously reported. Authorities are working on deploying the infrastructure required to bring oil fields into production ahead of crude exports.

According to official information, these preparations cover several segments of the oil value chain, including production facilities, processing capacity through a 60,000 b/d refinery, and associated logistics systems. A GlobalData projection shows Uganda is set to rank first in Africa for new oil storage capacity by 2030.

Estimated at more than $5 billion, the EACOP pipeline is the core infrastructure for Uganda’s oil development. Once completed, it is expected to enable the export to international markets of part of the country’s projected crude output of 246,000 b/d.

Abdel-Latif Boureima