FIRST OIL: EACOP hosts Bank of Uganda Governor, Judiciary heads

What the report says

The Independent Uganda reports that the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) hosted a high-level delegation from the Judiciary and the Bank of Uganda at Pump Station One in Kabaale, Hoima District, as officials reviewed progress ahead of Uganda’s expected first oil. The group included Bank of Uganda Governor Dr. Michael Atingi-Ego and Chief Justice Dr. Flavian Zeija, alongside officials from the Judiciary, Uganda Revenue Authority, Uganda National Oil Company, the Petroleum Authority of Uganda and EACOP shareholders.

According to the report, Atingi-Ego said the pipeline’s progress is important to Uganda’s macroeconomic outlook because government revenue and export-earnings projections depend heavily on oil and gas projects moving forward. He also praised the project’s use of Ugandan workers and said local capacity building would create long-term value. Zeija said the visit showed visible work on a major national infrastructure project and echoed support for local content.

EACOP deputy managing director John Bosco Habumugisha said the project is about 91% complete against a planned 94%, with the full pipeline already welded. He said recent disruptions, including regional conflict and Ebola-related travel limits, affected timing, but that the project was now in a better position. He added that environmental restoration is continuing alongside construction. The report places the visit in the context of Uganda’s oil sector entering its final construction phase before commercial production begins.