TotalEnergies, alongside partners CNOOC and the Uganda National Oil Company, has formally announced the Final Investment Decision for the integrated Tilenga upstream oil project and its associated East African Crude Oil Pipeline, marking a landmark moment for East Africa’s energy sector. The decision, declared in Kampala, paves the way for full-scale development of oil fields in the Albertine Graben region of western Uganda, with projections pointing to peak production of approximately 230,000 barrels of oil per day.
The pipeline component, a 1,443-kilometre heated line, is designed to transport crude from Kabaale, Uganda, to the port of Tanga on Tanzania’s coast for international export. The FID is expected to unlock roughly $10 billion in foreign direct investment and deliver substantial economic benefits to both countries through job creation, local content development, and increased government revenues.
While hailed by proponents as transformative for both Uganda and Tanzania, the project continues to face scrutiny from environmental and human rights groups over its potential ecological footprint and impact on local communities. For the broader continent, the decision underscores the continued strategic weight of fossil fuel development in meeting urgent energy and economic needs, even as African nations balance resource exploitation against evolving global climate commitments.
Source: TotalEnergies