The East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project has reached 60 percent completion, marking a major milestone in efforts to bolster regional energy infrastructure.
The 1,443-kilometre pipeline, designed to transport crude oil from Uganda’s Lake Albert oilfields to the Port of Tanga in Tanzania, has already generated 6,000 job opportunities, officials confirmed this week.
Members of the Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (EWURA) Board of Directors inspected the project site at Chongoleani in Tanga Region.
Following the visit, Engineer Ngosi Mwihava, Chairperson of the Board’s Committee on Energy, expressed satisfaction with the project’s progress, emphasizing EWURA’s role in regulating and maximizing local benefits.
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EACOP’s Human Resources and Corporate Affairs Director, Godfrey Mponda, reported that 70 percent of those employed so far are residents from communities near the pipeline. He noted the figures reflect growing Tanzanian participation in the multi-national initiative.
Tanga Regional Commissioner Dr. Batilda Burian added that the project has significantly benefitted local suppliers, with more being registered in EWURA’s supplier database.
EACOP is backed by shareholders including Uganda National Oil Company, TotalEnergies E&P Uganda, CNOOC Uganda, and the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC).
