The East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project has reached 79% completion and remains on course for first oil by July 2026. The $4 billion project will transport crude oil from Uganda's Lake Albert basin to Tanzania's Tanga port.

Key Points

• Construction 79% complete, targeting July 2026 commissioning
• Total investment of $4 billion, largest private infrastructure project in East Africa
• Six pumping stations along the route, four located in Tanzania

Background

EACOP spans 1,443 km and will be the world's longest heated crude oil pipeline. The project is led by TotalEnergies and CNOOC, with Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) holding a stake. Construction has created employment for more than 10,000 Tanzanians. Once operational, the pipeline will have capacity to transport 216,000 barrels per day.

What This Means

The project will transform Tanzania's role in regional energy infrastructure and generate significant revenue through transit fees and local content requirements. Tanga Port is undergoing parallel upgrades to handle crude exports. For Uganda, the pipeline ends decades of landlocked constraints on oil development. Regional energy officials project the infrastructure will catalyze further upstream investment across the basin.