Uganda is strengthening its position as one of Africa’s most promising energy frontiers following confirmation of substantial new crude oil deposits and steady progress on key infrastructure that will support both exports and domestic refining. The latest announcements increase the country’s recoverable reserves to an estimated 1.65 billion barrels, a shift that observers say could significantly accelerate Uganda’s long-term economic transformation, as reported by Africa Business Insider.
Momentum has been driven in part by the discovery of about 600 million barrels of recoverable crude in the Kasuruban block, where the Uganda National Oil Company identified nine promising wells. OilPrice.com noted that this find deepens the resource base of the Albertine Graben and reinforces investor confidence in Uganda’s expanding energy landscape.
Critical infrastructure is advancing in parallel. Africa Business Insider reported that the East African Crude Oil Pipeline, which will transport crude to Tanzania’s coast, has reached more than 75 percent completion. Once operational, it is expected to anchor Uganda’s emergence as a regional energy corridor and support the rollout of first exports.
Uganda is also working to build domestic refining capacity through a $4 billion refinery project in Hoima. According to APA News, the joint venture between UNOC and UAE-based Alpha MBM Investments is targeting operational readiness around 2029 to 2030, with planned capacity of 60,000 barrels per day. The project is designed to reduce Uganda’s dependence on imported fuels and position the country as a supplier of refined petroleum products across East Africa.
With rising reserves, maturing infrastructure, and a clear strategy for value addition, Uganda is now firmly on track to become one of the continent’s newest energy hubs, reshaping both its economic outlook and its contribution to Africa’s energy supply chain.
