Uganda delays first commercial oil production to June 2027

Uganda has rescheduled its first commercial oil production target to June 2027, marking the seventh revision to the timeline since petroleum deposits were discovered in 2006. Finance Minister Henry Musasizi presented the new date to parliament’s finance committee, following previous targets of 2018, 2020, 2025, and July 2026.

While commercial production is now expected by the end of June 2027, the Petroleum Authority of Uganda indicated that the 1,443-kilometre East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) is projected to be ready to receive crude by mid-December 2026. The pipeline, which connects to the Tanzanian coast, is nearly complete, with all but 29 km already laid and buried.

The oil projects involve the Tilenga field, operated by TotalEnergies, and the Kingfisher field, operated by China’s CNOOC. The repeated delays have drawn criticism from members of parliament, who have called for greater precision regarding the specific month production will commence.