East Africa’s longest oil pipeline, the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), has reached a new milestone, with 60% of the total 1,443 kilometers completed as of June 02, 2025. 

The latest milestone was revealed by the Board of Directors of the Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (EWURA), which oversees the project’s implementation in Tanzania, after inspecting the pipeline at Chongoleani in Tanga Region last Monday. 

Chairperson of the Energy Committee, Eng. Ngosi Mwihava, who spoke on behalf of the Board’s chair during the inspection, said the Board was satisfied with the project’s implementation progress.

He underscored the critical role played by EWURA in ensuring that Tanzania gets reasonable benefits through skills and technology transfer, job opportunities, and business opportunities, especially in providing goods and services. 

The EACOP’s Director of Human Resources and Corporate Services, Mr. Geoffrey Mponda, said the company has contributed significantly to the locals, employing over 6,000 people. 

EACOP is primarily owned by TotalEnergies, which has a 62% share, with Uganda National Oil Company Limited (UNOC) and Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) holding 15% each, while the Chinese oil company CNOOC holds 8%. 

Launched in August 2017, the cross-border pipeline planned to link Hoima in Uganda to Chongoleani in Tanzania has faced many challenges, including legal battles and withdrawal of the initial financiers, significantly slowing the implementation progress. 

However, the project secured support from other investors, especially from China, allowing it to move forward.

Recently, the EACOP Ltd., the company implementing the project, closed its first financing tranche from a consortium of regional financial institutions including African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), KCB Bank Uganda, Stanbic Bank Uganda Limited, The Standard Bank of South Africa Limited, and The Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD).

When completed, the pipeline is expected to transport 246,000 barrels of crude daily.