• Uganda set to add more oil and gas storage capacity than Nigeria and Ghana by 2030.

• Projects linked to EACOP and Hoima refinery require major storage infrastructure.

• Storage seen as critical for Uganda’s oil output, projected at 230,000 bpd by 2026.

Uganda is on track to become Africa’s top contributor to new oil and gas storage capacity by 2030, ahead of Nigeria and Ghana, according to data provider GlobalData in a study released on September 16.

The projection is tied to major infrastructure projects such as the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) and the planned Hoima refinery, which will have a capacity of 60,000 barrels per day. Both require large storage facilities to support the launch of the Tilenga and Kingfisher fields, expected to start producing in 2026.

The $5 billion EACOP project includes a marine terminal in Tanga, Tanzania, with four heated tanks of 500,000 barrels each to keep the crude above 63°C. The combined capacity equals about nine days of production at peak output of 230,000 barrels per day (190,000 from Tilenga and 40,000 from Kingfisher).

In Uganda, the existing Jinja terminal stores 30 million liters, or about 188,000 barrels, less than one day of production. A new terminal planned in Kampala will add 320 million liters, equivalent to 2 million barrels. These facilities will complement Tilenga and Kingfisher’s central processing facilities, which act as buffers before crude is refined or exported.

Because Uganda’s crude is waxy and must be kept at high temperatures between 50–63°C during transport, storage is essential to regulate flows. Without it, neither exports through EACOP nor supplies to the Hoima refinery can operate efficiently.

Storage capacity is therefore considered the key factor in moving Uganda’s first barrels and ensuring investment returns, with authorities projecting up to $2.5 billion in annual revenues once production reaches full scale.

Beyond reducing dependence on imported petroleum products, Uganda also aims to strengthen its position against regional rivals Kenya and Tanzania, which already host oil hubs in Mombasa and Dar es Salaam.