Uganda Targets First Oil by June 2027, Refinery by 2030
Uganda is targeting its first commercial oil production by June 2027 and plans to complete its domestic refinery by 2030, as the country advances infrastructure to export crude and strengthen local fuel supply.
Kristina Kasebayo, Head of Compliance at the Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC), reaffirmed the timeline during a fireside chat at African Energy Week (AEW) 2026 in Cape Town, saying the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) was 92 per cent complete.
“First oil will start before the end of our financial year – June 2027 – which will position us as an oil producing country,” Kasebayo said.
She added that crude exports would follow the start of production, with EACOP transporting Ugandan oil to a port in Tanzania for shipment to international markets.
“The challenge was never getting the oil out of the ground, but having the infrastructure and regulation in place,” she said, noting that the necessary agreements were now in place.
Uganda discovered commercial oil in 2006, but developing the infrastructure and regulatory framework required to bring its reserves to market has taken years. The pipeline is expected to provide the country with an export route as production begins.
Alongside the export project, Uganda is advancing plans for a domestic refinery to process crude locally, improve energy security and support fuel supply.
“We intend to take FID for the domestic refinery in February 2027 and expect the refinery to be complete by 2030,” Kasebayo said, referring to the planned final investment decision.
The refinery is part of Uganda’s strategy to capture more value from its petroleum resources by combining crude exports with domestic processing capacity.
Kasebayo also disclosed that Uganda would market its crude internationally under the name Pearl Sweet, drawing on the country’s identity as the Pearl of Africa.
She said the crude grade had gained international recognition, as Uganda prepares to engage global buyers ahead of the start of exports.
The June 2027 production target, progress on EACOP and planned refinery investment mark key milestones in Uganda’s effort to establish itself as an oil-producing country while developing domestic capacity to benefit from its hydrocarbon resources.
